Incongruent Teen Pregnancy Attitudes, Coparenting Conflict, and Support Among Mexican-Origin Adolescent Mothers

PubMed Central

Denny, T.; Jahromi, Laudan B.; Zeiders, Katharine H.

2017-01-01

The current longitudinal study examined whether differences between Mexican-origin adolescent mothers and their mother figures (N = 204 dyads) in attitudes on the status attained through teen pregnancy were associated with conflict in their coparenting relationship and whether coparenting conflict was associated with adolescent mothers’ perceptions of social support. Findings revealed that when adolescents held more positive attitudes than their mother figures about the status gained through teen pregnancy, they tended to report greater coparenting conflict with their mother figures. Furthermore, greater coparenting conflict was significantly associated with decreases in adolescents’ perceptions of social support (i.e., emotional, instrumental, companion support) 1 year later. Findings underscore the importance of incongruent attitudes and the quality of coparenting relationships between adolescent mothers and their mother figures in relation to support processes. Findings are discussed with respect to understanding Mexican-origin adolescent mothers’ social support in the context of family subsystem attitudes and interactions. PMID:29263557

Incongruent Teen Pregnancy Attitudes, Coparenting Conflict, and Support Among Mexican-Origin Adolescent Mothers.

PubMed

Denny, T; Jahromi, Laudan B; Zeiders, Katharine H

2016-04-01

The current longitudinal study examined whether differences between Mexican-origin adolescent mothers and their mother figures ( N = 204 dyads) in attitudes on the status attained through teen pregnancy were associated with conflict in their coparenting relationship and whether coparenting conflict was associated with adolescent mothers' perceptions of social support. Findings revealed that when adolescents held more positive attitudes than their mother figures about the status gained through teen pregnancy, they tended to report greater coparenting conflict with their mother figures. Furthermore, greater coparenting conflict was significantly associated with decreases in adolescents' perceptions of social support (i.e., emotional, instrumental, companion support) 1 year later. Findings underscore the importance of incongruent attitudes and the quality of coparenting relationships between adolescent mothers and their mother figures in relation to support processes. Findings are discussed with respect to understanding Mexican-origin adolescent mothers' social support in the context of family subsystem attitudes and interactions.

Parental Expressiveness as a Moderator of Coparenting and Marital Relationship Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kolak, Amy M.; Volling, Brenda L.

2007-01-01

Driven by theory and extant research on the communication of emotions within the family, the current investigation examined marital quality and parents' emotional expressiveness as determinants of coparenting in a sample of 57 couples with young children. Specifically, mothers' and fathers' expressiveness was examined as moderators of the…

Coparenting profiles in the context of Mexican-origin teen pregnancy: links to mother-daughter relationship quality and adjustment.

PubMed

Perez-Brena, Norma J; Updegraff, Kimberly A; Umaña-Taylor, Adriana J; Jahromi, Laudan; Guimond, Amy

2015-06-01

The current study explored the multifaceted nature of the mother-adolescent coparental relationship with data from 167 Mexican-origin adolescent mothers and their own mothers at 10 months post childbirth. Profiles of mother-adolescent coparenting were created with latent profile analysis using adolescents' reports of three dimensions of coparenting (communication, involvement, and conflict). Four profiles were identified: (a) Harmonious Coparents (equal involvement, high communication, low conflict); (b) Harmonious-Adolescent Primary (adolescent is more involved than mother, high communication, low conflict); (c) Conflictual Coparents (equal involvement, high communication, high conflict); and (d) Conflictual-Adolescent Primary (adolescent is more involved than mother, moderate communication, high conflict). Families characterized by high mother-daughter conflict and psychological control prior to childbirth were more likely to belong in the Conflictual Coparents profile. In addition, adolescents' and mothers' depressive symptoms and parenting efficacy after childbirth were linked to profile membership, such that the Harmonious-Adolescent Primary profile reported the most positive adjustment patterns, whereas profiles with high coparental conflict (i.e., Conflictual Coparenting and Conflictual-Adolescent Primary profiles) showed the least positive adjustment patterns. Discussion considers the applied implications of identifying precursors to healthy and problematic mother-daughter coparenting for families of adolescent mothers in the early years of parenting. © 2014 Family Process Institute.

Coparenting Profiles in the Context of Mexican-Origin Teen Pregnancy: Links to Mother-Daughter Relationship Quality and Adjustment

PubMed Central

Perez-Brena, Norma J.; Updegraff, Kimberly A.; Umaña-Taylor, Adriana J.; Jahromi, Laudan; Guimond, Amy

2015-01-01

The current study explored the multifaceted nature of the mother-adolescent coparental relationship with data from 167 Mexican-origin adolescent mothers and their own mothers at ten months post-childbirth. Profiles of mother-adolescent coparenting were created with latent profile analysis using adolescents’ reports of three dimensions of coparenting (communication, involvement and conflict). Four profiles were identified: (a) Harmonious Coparents (equal involvement, high communication, low conflict); (b) Harmonious-Adolescent Primary (adolescent is more involved than mother, high communication, low conflict); (c) Conflictual Coparents (equal involvement, high communication, high conflict); and (d) Conflictual-Adolescent Primary (adolescent is more involved than mother, moderate communication, high conflict). Families characterized by high mother-daughter conflict and psychological control prior to childbirth were more likely to belong in the Conflictual Coparents profile. In addition, adolescents’ and mothers’ depressive symptoms and parenting efficacy after childbirth were linked to profile membership, such that the Harmonious-Adolescent Primary profile reported the most positive adjustment patterns, whereas profiles with high coparental conflict (i.e., Conflictual Coparenting and Conflictual-Adolescent Primary profiles) showed the least positive adjustment patterns. Discussion considers the applied implications of identifying precursors to healthy and problematic mother-daughter coparenting for families of adolescent mothers in the early years of parenting. PMID:25438748

Typologies of Post-divorce Coparenting and Parental Well-Being, Parenting Quality and Children's Psychological Adjustment.

PubMed

Lamela, Diogo; Figueiredo, Bárbara; Bastos, Alice; Feinberg, Mark

2016-10-01

The aim of this study was to identify post-divorce coparenting profiles and examine whether these profiles differentiate between levels of parents' well-being, parenting practices, and children's psychological problems. Cluster analysis was conducted with Portuguese heterosexual divorced parents (N = 314) to yield distinct post-divorce coparenting patterns. Clusters were based on parents' self-reported coparenting relationship assessed along four dimensions: agreement, exposure to conflict, undermining/support, and division of labor. A three cluster solution was found and replicated. Parents in the high-conflict coparenting group exhibited significantly lower life satisfaction, as well as significantly higher divorce-related negative affect and inconsistent parenting than parents in undermining and cooperative coparenting clusters. The cooperative coparenting group reported higher levels of positive family functioning and lower externalizing and internalizing problems in their children. These results suggested that a positive coparenting alliance may be a protective factor for individual and family outcomes after parental divorce.

“I’ll Be There for You”: Coparenting Relationships among Teen Parents*

PubMed Central

Mollborn, Stefanie; Jacobs, Janet

2017-01-01

Marriage promotion policy agendas have focused research attention on coparenting relationships, but little is known about coparenting among teen parents. Qualitative interviews with 76 teen mothers and fathers, supplemented with site observations at a school and clinic, investigated coparenting relationships and those relationships’ embeddedness in extended families and social institutions. We identified prevalent coparenting trajectories and analyzed individual-, interaction-, and institutional-level influences on coparenting. Coparenting trajectories diverged depending on whether the couple stayed together and assumed traditionally gendered parenting roles. Participants perceived that coparenting relationships strongly shaped their current and future socioeconomic, emotional, and practical circumstances and their success at “being there” for their child. Extended families, institutions, and social programs often pushed teen parents apart, although many participants felt they needed a functional relationship with the other parent. Coparenting relationships, considered jointly with extended families and social institutions, are fundamental for understanding teen parenthood and shaping effective social policies. PMID:28620246

Bidirectional Associations between Coparenting Relations and Family Member Anxiety: A Review and Conceptual Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Majdandzic, Mirjana; de Vente, Wieke; Feinberg, Mark E.; Aktar, Evin; Bogels, Susan M.

2012-01-01

Research into anxiety has largely ignored the dynamics of family systems in anxiety development. Coparenting refers to the quality of coordination between individuals responsible for the upbringing of children and links different subsystems within the family, such as the child, the marital relationship, and the parents. This review discusses the…

A harsh parenting team? Maternal reports of coparenting and coercive parenting interact in association with children's disruptive behaviour.

PubMed

Latham, Rachel M; Mark, Katharine M; Oliver, Bonamy R

2017-05-01

Parenting and coparenting are both important for children's adjustment, but their interaction has been little explored. Using a longitudinal design and considering two children per family, we investigated mothers' and fathers' perceptions of coparenting as moderators of associations between their coercive parenting and children's disruptive behaviour. Mothers and fathers from 106 'intact' families were included from the Twins, Family and Behaviour study. At Time 1 (M child age  = 3 years 11 months, SD child age  = 4.44 months) parents reported on their coercive parenting and children's disruptive behaviour via questionnaire; at Time 2 (M child age  = 4 years 8 months, SD child age  = 4.44 months) perceptions of coparenting and the marital relationship were collected by telephone interview. Questionnaire-based reports of children's disruptive behaviour were collected at follow-up (M child age  = 5 years 11 months, SD child age  = 5.52 months). Multilevel modelling was used to examine child-specific and family-wide effects. Conservative multilevel models including both maternal and paternal perceptions demonstrated that maternal perceptions of coparenting and overall coercive parenting interacted in their prediction of parent-reported child disruptive behaviour. Specifically, accounting for perceived marital quality, behavioural stability, and fathers' perceptions, only in the context of perceived higher quality coparenting was there a positive association between mother-reported overall coercive parenting and children's disruptive behaviour at follow-up. When combined with highly coercive parenting, maternal perceptions of high quality coparenting may be detrimental for children's adjustment. © 2016 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Brief Coparenting and Relationship Interventions During the Transition to Parenthood

PubMed Central

Doss, Brian D.; Cicila, Larisa N.; Hsueh, Annie C.; Morrison, Kristen R.; Carhart, Kathryn

2014-01-01

The transition to parenthood has been repeatedly identified as a stressful period, with couples reporting difficulties in domains of individual, coparenting, and relationship functioning. Moreover, these difficulties have been shown to impact children’s development. To buffer against these difficulties, numerous effective parenting, couple, and combined interventions have been developed; however, these interventions are typically lengthy, which limits their potential for dissemination. Therefore, in the present study, we developed and tested separate six-hour interventions that focused exclusively on improving either coparenting or relationship functioning. In a randomized control trial, 90 heterosexual couples (180 individuals) were randomly assigned to an information control group, a coparenting intervention, or a relationship intervention and assessed on seven occasions during the two years following birth. Results revealed that women and high-risk men in both the couple and coparenting interventions showed fewer declines in relationship satisfaction (Cohen’s d = 0.53–0.99) and other areas of relationship functioning. Women also reported improved coparenting in both intervention groups (Cohen’s d = 0.47–1.06). Additionally, women in both interventions experienced less perceived stress during the first year after birth. Given similar effects of the two interventions on coparenting and relationship functioning, future dissemination may be enhanced by delivery of coparenting interventions, as coparenting (compared to relationship) interventions seem to attract more interest from couples and are likely easier to integrate into existing services. PMID:25090255

A Multi-Domain Self-Report Measure of Coparenting

PubMed Central

Feinberg, Mark E.; Brown, Louis D.; Kan, Marni L.

2012-01-01

SYNOPSIS Objective This study reports the psychometric properties of a multi-domain measure of the coparenting relationship in dual-parent families. Method 152 couples participating in a transition to parenthood study completed the Coparenting Relationship Scale and additional measures during home visits at child age 6 months, 1 year, and 3 years. Results Psychometric and construct validity assessments indicated the measure performed satisfactorily. The 35-item measure demonstrated good reliability and strong stability. Subscales measuring theoretically and empirically important aspects of coparenting (coparenting agreement, coparenting closeness, exposure of child to conflict, coparenting support, coparenting undermining, endorsement of partner’s parenting, and division of labor) demonstrated good reliability as well. A 14-item brief overall measure showed very strong associations with the overall measure. Relations of the full scale with a measure of social desirability were weak, and the full scale was positively associated with positive dimensions of the dyadic couple relationship (love, sex/romance, couple efficacy) and inversely associated with negative dimensions (conflict, ineffective arguing)—as expected. Conclusions This initial examination of the Coparenting Relationship Scale suggests that it possesses good psychometric properties (reliability, stability, construct validity, and inter-rater agreement), can be flexibly administered in short and long forms, and is positioned to promote further conceptual and methodological progress in the study of coparenting. PMID:23166477

Coparenting and the Transition to Parenthood: A Framework for Prevention

PubMed Central

Feinberg, Mark E.

2011-01-01

The way that parents work together in their roles as parents, the coparenting relationship, has been linked to parental adjustment, parenting, and child outcomes. The coparenting relationship offers a potentially modifiable, circumscribed risk factor that could be targeted in family-focused prevention. This paper briefly outlines an integrated and comprehensive view of coparenting, and suggests that the time around the birth of the first child is an opportune moment for coparenting intervention. To support the development of such prevention programs, an outline of the possible goals of coparenting intervention is presented with a description of the processes by which enhanced coparenting may have effects in each area. The paper discusses several issues involved in developing and disseminating effective coparenting interventions. PMID:12240706

Strengthening the Role of Unmarried Fathers: Findings from the Co-Parent Court Project.

PubMed

Marczak, Mary S; Becher, Emily H; Hardman, Alisha M; Galos, Dylan L; Ruhland, Ebony

2015-12-01

While the importance of fathers in unmarried coparent families is a strong area of social and political interest, a dearth of community-based interventions exists for supporting the role of fathers in at-risk families. The Co-Parent Court (CPC) was a 3-year demonstration project evaluating the effectiveness of a collaborative intervention to support unmarried coparents establishing paternity and improving their coparenting relationships and paternal involvement in their child's life. A randomized-control experimental design was employed. The paper will explore father involvement and coparent relationship outcomes. © 2015 Family Process Institute.

Coparenting Quality During the First Three Months After Birth: The Role of Infant Sleep Quality

PubMed Central

McDaniel, Brandon T.; Teti, Douglas M.

2013-01-01

The transition to parenthood can be stressful for new parents, as parents must learn to take on new roles and responsibilities. Sleep disruption—which has been linked in prior research to parent distress and fatigue—is common in the early months. The current study is the first to our knowledge to examine infant sleep and its potential indirect influence on parents’ perceptions of coparenting quality at 1 and 3 months of infant age. Participants included 150 families. Mothers reported more night waking, poorer sleep quality, more depressive symptoms, and worse perceptions of coparenting quality as compared with fathers. We tested a structural model of infant and parent night waking and sleep quality as predictors of parent distress and coparenting using maximum likelihood estimation. The frequency of infant night waking predicted father and mother night waking, which in turn predicted parent sleep quality. Poor parent sleep quality predicted elevated depressive symptoms, and finally depressive symptoms were negatively related to perceptions of coparenting quality. Significant indirect effects between infant night waking and parent depression and coparenting quality were found. In summary, both mothers’ and fathers’ perceptions of coparenting were related to the unfolding parental dynamics that take place surrounding infant sleep difficulties. This held true even after controlling for parent education, family income, and infant temperament. Therefore, parenting may indirectly benefit from interventions targeting infant sleep difficulties. PMID:23244456

Pathways Between Marriage and Parenting for Wives and Husbands: The Role of Coparenting1

PubMed Central

Morrill, Melinda

2016-01-01

As family systems research has expanded, so have investigations into how marital partners coparent together. Although coparenting research has increasingly found support for the influential role of coparenting on both marital relationships and parenting practices, coparenting has traditionally been investigated as part of an indirect system which begins with marital health, is mediated by coparenting processes, and then culminates in each partner's parenting. The field has not tested how this traditional model compares to the equally plausible alternative model in which coparenting simultaneously predicts both marital relationships and parenting practices. Furthermore, statistical and practical limitations have typically resulted in only one parent being analyzed in these models. This study used model-fitting analyses to include both wives and husbands in a test of these two alternative models of the role of coparenting in the family system. Our data suggested that both the traditional indirect model (marital health to coparenting to parenting practices), and the alternative predictor model where coparenting alliance directly and simultaneously predicts marital health and parenting practices, fit for both spouses. This suggests that dynamic and multiple roles may be played by coparenting in the overall family system, and raises important practical implications for family clinicians. PMID:20377635

Coparenting and children's temperament predict firstborns' cooperation in the care of an infant sibling.

PubMed

Song, Ju-Hyun; Volling, Brenda L

2015-02-01

This study examined how coparenting and firstborn children's temperament predicted children's cooperative behavior in response to maternal requests for assistance in the care of a 1-month-old infant sibling. Children's cooperative responding was observed during a diaper change session for 216 firstborns (ages 13 to 70 months; M = 32). Parents also completed questionnaires assessing coparenting and children's temperament. Results suggested that coparenting quality moderated the association between children's temperament (i.e., soothability) and children's cooperation as revealed in a Temperament × Cooperative Coparenting × Undermining Coparenting interaction. Specifically, low soothability predicted low levels of children's cooperation in families with high undermining and low cooperative coparenting, over and above the effects of child age, gender, and mothers' education. Findings further our understanding of how temperamental characteristics and coparenting quality conjointly predict individual differences in firstborn children's positive adjustment across the transition to siblinghood. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

Co-Parenting Relationship Experiences of Black Adolescent Mothers in Active Romantic Partnerships With the Fathers of Their Children.

PubMed

Nelson, LaRon E; Thach, Chia T; Shelton, Melissa M; Boyer, Cherrie B

2015-08-01

We conducted an interpretive description of co-parenting relationship experiences of romantically involved Black adolescent mothers and fathers with shared biological children. The study was conducted in Brooklyn, New York, using data from individual in-depth interviews with adolescent mothers and fathers (n = 10). Four themes were identified: (a) putting our heads together; (b) balancing childhood and parenthood; (c) less money, more problems; and (d) if we use condoms, it is for contraception. The co-parenting couples managed very complex relationships, but their mutual interest in the welfare of their children was a relational asset. Co-parents had sparse financial resources but used a moral economy strategy to provide mutual support. Future research is needed that focuses on identifying other co-parent relationship assets and integrating and evaluating their utility for enhancing interventions for adolescent families. © The Author(s) 2014.

Coparenting relationship trajectories: Marital violence linked to change and variability after separation.

PubMed

Hardesty, Jennifer L; Ogolsky, Brian G; Raffaelli, Marcela; Whittaker, Angela; Crossman, Kimberly A; Haselschwerdt, Megan L; Mitchell, Elissa Thomann; Khaw, Lyndal

2017-10-01

Associations between marital intimate partner violence (IPV) and postseparation coparenting relationship trajectories were examined among 135 mothers who participated in 5 interviews at 3-month intervals in the year following their divorce filing. Growth curve analysis was conducted to assess change and variability in coparenting dimensions (i.e., conflict, support, communication about child rearing, and harassment) in the overall sample and by type of IPV. In the overall sample, coparenting conflict, communication about child rearing, and harassment decreased across the year following separation. However, coparenting relationships differed considerably based on marital IPV experiences. At Time 1, mothers in relationships with coercive controlling violence (CCV) reported higher levels of harassment and conflict, and lower levels of support and communication about coparenting, than mothers with situational couple violence (SCV) or no violence (NV). Furthermore, coparenting relationship trajectories differed significantly by IPV group, with mothers who experienced CCV showing more variability in conflict and harassment, and more marked changes in conflict, support, and harassment. Despite many similarities, mothers with SCV showed higher initial levels of harassment compared to mothers with NV. Findings can support family court and social service professionals' efforts to individualize interventions with divorcing parents based on IPV experiences. In cases of CCV, for example, attention to heightened control dynamics in the immediate separation period remain critical but the persistent volatility across the first year suggests the potential for chronic stress. With SCV, practitioners may be able to capitalize on parents' reasonable levels of communication and steady coparenting support. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Parents of children with and without intellectual disability: couple relationship and individual well-being.

PubMed

Norlin, D; Broberg, M

2013-06-01

Research on parents of children with intellectual disability (ID) has identified a range of risk and protective factors for parental well-being. In family research, the association between marital quality and depression is a vital field of investigation. Still little research has addressed how aspects of the couple relationship affect the adaptation of parents of children with ID. The present study examined predictive links between couple relationship factors (marital quality and coparenting quality) and individual well-being. Data were obtained through self-report questionnaires completed by parents of children with ID (mothers, n = 58; and fathers, n = 46) and control children (mothers, n = 178; and fathers, n = 141). To test the hypothesis that couple relationship factors predicted individual well-being, multiple regression analyses were performed controlling for the following risk factors identified by previous research: child self-injury/stereotypic behaviour, parenting stress, and economic risk. Marital quality predicted concurrent well-being, and coparenting quality predicted prospective well-being. Mothers of children with ID reported lower well-being than other parents. There is a continued need for investigation of the details of the links between couple relationship and individual well-being in parents of children with ID. Couple relationship factors should be given consideration in clinical interventions. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, MENCAP & IASSID.

Communication Technology and Postdivorce Coparenting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ganong, Lawrence H.; Coleman, Marilyn; Feistman, Richard; Jamison, Tyler; Markham, Melinda Stafford

2012-01-01

Divorced individuals who share parenting responsibilities have to figure out ways to work together to raise their children. The purpose of this qualitative study of 49 divorced coparents was to examine how they used technology (e.g., cell phones, computers) to communicate. For parents in effective coparenting relationships, communication…

Coparenting in immigrant Chinese Canadian families: the role of discrepancies in acculturation and expectations for adolescent assistance.

PubMed

Chance, Lauren J; Costigan, Catherine L; Leadbeater, Bonnie J

2013-12-01

For immigrant families, differential acculturation between mothers and fathers may present challenges to parenting adolescents. The current study investigated the concurrent relations among discrepancies in parental acculturation, discrepancies in parental expectations for adolescents, and coparenting quality with a sample of 162 married immigrant Chinese Canadian couples with adolescents (mean age = 14.94 years; SD = 1.73). Acculturation was assessed as parents' behavioral involvement in both Canadian and Chinese cultures. As predicted, mother-father differences in acculturation (in relation to both cultures) were related to discrepant expectations for how much adolescents should assist the family. Further, mother-father differences in Chinese acculturation were related to fathers' perceptions of a poorer coparenting relationship. Finally, this relation was partially mediated by discrepant parental expectations for adolescent assistance. Implications for parenting roles, enculturation, family dynamics, and intervention are considered.

The Longitudinal Influence of Coparenting Conflict on Parental Negativity and Adolescent Maladjustment

PubMed Central

Feinberg, Mark E.; Kan, Marni L.; Hetherington, E. Mavis

2011-01-01

This study addresses two limitations of coparenting research: first, little research on coparenting has been conducted with families of adolescents, and second, there is little understanding regarding the child and family contexts in which coparenting is most salient. The longitudinal relation of coparenting conflict to parenting and adolescent maladjustment across 3 years was investigated among 516 2-parent, 2-adolescent families. Coparenting conflict predicted as much or more unique variance in parenting and adolescent adjustment as did marital quality and disagreement together. After controlling for stability, coparenting conflict predicted mothers' and fathers' negativity and adolescent antisocial behavior (but not depression). Importantly, the influence of coparenting conflict in all cases varied as a function of family type, adolescent gender, or initial level of antisocial behavior, or all. The implications of these results for family processes in different relational and developmental contexts are discussed. PMID:21874069

Processes linking adolescent well-being, marital love, and coparenting.

PubMed

Baril, Megan E; Crouter, Ann C; McHale, Susan M

2007-12-01

This study examined coparenting in a sample of 177 two-parent families with firstborn adolescents by using annual home interview data from mothers, fathers, and adolescents. With a path-analytic approach and with earlier problem behaviors controlled for, coparenting conflict predicted relative increases in adolescent risky behavior over 2 years. In addition, evidence for 2 types of mediation was found. Marital love mediated the link between adolescents' early risky behavior and coparenting 1 year later, and coparenting conflict mediated the link between marital love and adolescents' risky behavior 1 year later. Linkages did not emerge for coparenting cooperation or triangulation. Interventions that are focused on the marital and coparental relationships in families with adolescents may modify trajectories of adolescent risky behavior.

Coparenting and Parental School Involvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berryhill, M. Blake

2017-01-01

Background: Parental school involvement is associated with social, psychological, and academic child outcomes. Beyond school, demographic, and individual influences, research on the relationship between family level processes and parental school involvement is limited. Coparenting is a unique family level relationship that influences parental…

A process model of the implications of spillover from coparenting conflicts into the parent–child attachment relationship in adolescence

PubMed Central

Martin, Meredith J.; Sturge-Apple, Melissa L.; Davies, Patrick T.; Romero, Christine V.; Buckholz, Abigail

2017-01-01

Drawing on a two-wave, multimethod, multi-informant design, this study provides the first test of a process model of spillover specifying why and how disruptions in the coparenting relationship influence the parent–adolescent attachment relationship. One hundred ninety-four families with an adolescent aged 12–14 (M age = 12.4) were followed for 1 year. Mothers and adolescents participated in two experimental tasks designed to elicit behavioral expressions of parent and adolescent functioning within the attachment relationship. Using a novel observational approach, maternal safe haven, secure base, and harshness (i.e., hostility and control) were compared as potential unique mediators of the association between conflict in the coparenting relationship and adolescent problems. Path models indicated that, although coparenting conflicts were broadly associated with maternal parenting difficulties, only secure base explained the link to adolescent adjustment. Adding further specificity to the process model, maternal secure base support was uniquely associated with adolescent adjustment through deficits in adolescents’ secure exploration. Results support the hypothesis that coparenting disagreements undermine adolescent adjustment in multiple domains specifically by disrupting mothers’ ability to provide a caregiving environment that supports adolescent exploration during a developmental period in which developing autonomy is a crucial stage-salient task. PMID:28401834

Modeling the dyadic effects of parenting, stress, and coping on parent-child communication in families tested for hereditary breast-ovarian cancer risk.

PubMed

Hamilton, Jada G; Mays, Darren; DeMarco, Tiffani; Tercyak, Kenneth P

2016-10-01

Genetic testing for BRCA genes, associated with hereditary breast-ovarian cancer risk, is an accepted cancer control strategy. BRCA genetic testing has both medical and psychosocial implications for individuals seeking testing and their family members. However, promoting open and adaptive communication about cancer risk in the family is challenging for parents of minor children. Using prospective data collected from mothers undergoing BRCA genetic testing and their untested co-parents (N = 102 parenting dyads), we examined how maternal and co-parent characteristics independently and conjointly influenced the overall quality of parent-child communication with minor children. Statistical associations were tested in accordance with the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model. Significant Actor effects were observed among mothers, such that open parent-child communication prior to genetic testing was positively associated with open communication 6 months following receipt of genetic test results; and among co-parents, more open parent-child communication at baseline and greater perceived quality of the parenting relationship were associated with more open parent-child communication at follow-up. Partner effects were also observed: co-parents' baseline communication and confidence in their ability to communicate with their minor children about genetic testing was positively associated with open maternal parent-child communication at follow-up. These results demonstrate that for families facing the prospect of cancer genetic testing, perceptions and behaviors of both members of child-rearing couples have important implications for the overall quality of communication with their minor children, including communication about cancer risk.

Psychosocial Adjustment of Low-Income African American Youth from Single Mother Homes: The Role of the Youth-Coparent Relationship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sterrett, Emma M.; Jones, Deborah J.; Kincaid, Carlye

2009-01-01

African American youth from single mother homes are at greater risk for internalizing and externalizing problems relative to their peers from two-parent homes. Although the predominance of psychosocial research on these youth has focused on maternal parenting and mother-child relationship quality, far less attention has been devoted to the quality…

Cooperative coparenting moderates the association between parenting practices and children's prosocial behavior.

PubMed

Scrimgeour, Meghan B; Blandon, Alysia Y; Stifter, Cynthia A; Buss, Kristin A

2013-06-01

This study examined how aspects of the parenting and coparenting relationships relate to children's prosocial behavior in early childhood. Fifty-eight 2-parent families from a larger ongoing longitudinal study participated in this study. Mothers completed questionnaires that measured their use of inductive reasoning, as well as their children's prosocial behavior. Furthermore, parents and their children participated in 3 triadic interaction tasks that were coded to assess cooperative coparenting behavior. Results revealed that cooperative coparenting was positively associated with children's prosocial behavior. A significant interaction also emerged between maternal inductive reasoning and cooperative coparenting behavior. These findings underscore the important role of a cooperative coparenting subsystem in influencing children's emerging prosocial behavior, as well as highlight the association between positive parenting practices and children's prosocial development within the context of cooperative coparenting behaviors. This study demonstrates the utility of understanding family-level processes that contribute to children's prosocial development during early childhood. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Cooperative Coparenting Moderates the Association between Parenting Practices and Children’s Prosocial Behavior

PubMed Central

Scrimgeour, Meghan B.; Blandon, Alysia Y.; Stifter, Cynthia A.; Buss, Kristin A.

2013-01-01

The current study examined how aspects of the parenting and coparenting relationships relate to children’s prosocial behavior in early childhood. Fifty-eight two-parent families from a larger ongoing longitudinal study participated in this study. Mothers completed questionnaires that measured their use of inductive reasoning, as well as their children’s prosocial behavior. Furthermore, parents and their children participated in three triadic interaction tasks that were coded to assess cooperative coparenting behavior. Results revealed that cooperative coparenting was positively associated with children’s prosocial behavior. A significant interaction also emerged between maternal inductive reasoning and cooperative coparenting behavior. These findings underscore the important role of a cooperative coparenting subsystem in influencing children’s emerging prosocial behavior, as well as highlight the association between positive parenting practices and children’s prosocial development within the context of cooperative coparenting behaviors. This study demonstrates the utility of understanding family-level processes that contribute to children’s prosocial development during early childhood. PMID:23750531

The Trajectory of Coparenting Satisfaction in African American Families: The Impact of Sociocultural Stressors and Supports

PubMed Central

Riina, Elizabeth M.; McHale, Susan M.

2013-01-01

Based in family systems and ecological perspectives, this study expands the scope of coparenting research by: (a) charting the trajectory of coparenting satisfaction for mothers and fathers in two-parent African American families during their offspring's adolescence, and (b) examining the role of sociocultural stressors and supports for coparenting satisfaction. Participants were 192 African American mothers and fathers who reported on their coparenting satisfaction and both economic and cultural stressors (economic strain and racial discrimination), and supports (socioeconomic resources and religiosity). Longitudinal growth curves revealed declines in coparenting satisfaction for fathers but not mothers over the course of offspring's adolescence. Findings were generally consistent with hypotheses that stressors were negatively, and supports, positively, related to average levels of coparenting satisfaction. Findings for racial discrimination and income differed by parent and highlighted gender dynamics within couple relationships. We discuss implications for understanding of normative family processes in African American families as these unfold within both family and broader sociocultural contexts. PMID:23066677

Parental Relationships in Fragile Families

PubMed Central

McLanahan, Sara; Beck, Audrey N.

2011-01-01

Summary As nonmarital childbearing escalated in the United States over the past half century, fragile families—defined as unmarried couples with children—drew increased interest from researchers and policy makers. Sara McLanahan and Audrey Beck discuss four aspects of parental relationships in these families: the quality of parents’ intimate relationship, the stability of that relationship, the quality of the co-parenting relationship among parents who live apart, and nonresident fathers’ involvement with their child. At the time of their child’s birth, half of the parents in fragile families are living together and another third are living apart but romantically involved. Despite high hopes at birth, five years later only a third of parents are still together, and new partners and new children are common, leading to high levels of instability and complexity in these families. Drawing on findings from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, McLanahan and Beck highlight a number of predictors of low relationship quality and stability in these families, including low economic resources, government policies that discourage marriage, gender distrust and acceptance of single motherhood, sex ratios that favor men, children from previous unions, and psychological factors that make it difficult for parents to maintain healthy relationships. No single factor appears to have a dominant effect. The authors next discuss two types of experiments that attempt to establish causal effects on parental relationships: those aimed at altering economic resources and those aimed at improving relationships. What can be done to strengthen parental relationships in fragile families? The authors note that although economic resources are a consistent predictor of stable relationships, researchers and policy makers lack good causal information on whether increasing fathers’ employment and earnings will increase relationship quality and union stability. They also note that analysts need to know more about whether relationship quality in fragile families can be improved directly and whether doing so will increase union stability, father involvement, and co-parenting quality. PMID:20964130

Parental relationships in fragile families.

PubMed

McLanahan, Sara; Beck, Audrey N

2010-01-01

As nonmarital childbearing escalated in the United States over the past half century, fragile families--defined as unmarried couples with children--drew increased interest from researchers and policy makers. Sara McLanahan and Audrey Beck discuss four aspects of parental relationships in these families: the quality of parents' intimate relationship, the stability of that relationship, the quality of the co-parenting relationship among parents who live apart, and nonresident fathers' involvement with their child. At the time of their child's birth, half of the parents in fragile families are living together and another third are living apart but romantically involved. Despite high hopes at birth, five years later only a third of parents are still together, and new partners and new children are common, leading to high levels of instability and complexity in these families. Drawing on findings from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, McLanahan and Beck highlight a number of predictors of low relationship quality and stability in these families, including low economic resources, government policies that discourage marriage, gender distrust and acceptance of single motherhood, sex ratios that favor men, children from previous unions, and psychological factors that make it difficult for parents to maintain healthy relationships. No single factor appears to have a dominant effect. The authors next discuss two types of experiments that attempt to establish causal effects on parental relationships: those aimed at altering economic resources and those aimed at improving relationships. What can be done to strengthen parental relationships in fragile families? The authors note that although economic resources are a consistent predictor of stable relationships, researchers and policy makers lack good causal information on whether increasing fathers' employment and earnings will increase relationship quality and union stability. They also note that analysts need to know more about whether relationship quality in fragile families can be improved directly and whether doing so will increase union stability, father involvement, and co-parenting quality.

Reducing interparental conflict among parents in contentious child custody disputes: an initial investigation of the Working Together Program.

PubMed

Owen, Jesse; Rhoades, Galena K

2012-07-01

Interparental conflict is one of the primary risk factors for negative outcomes for children whose parents separate, and it is likely to be high while parents are separating. Results are mixed regarding the effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing interparental conflict. This study examined co-parents who were court-ordered to attend a 12-hr co-parenting intervention and completed pre-postassessments (n = 20) and 2-month follow-up assessments (n = 17). The results demonstrated increases in co-parents' relationship functioning and confidence in co-parenting. Both men and women reported decreased amounts of conflict in the presence of their children; however, only women reported decreases in general negative communication with the co-parent. These changes were generally maintained at a 2-month follow-up assessment. These findings suggest that interventions for high-conflict co-parents may increase their ability to work cooperatively. © 2010 American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

Supportive Coparenting Relationships as a Haven of Psychological Safety at the Transition to Parenthood

PubMed Central

Schoppe-Sullivan, Sarah J.; Settle, Theresa; Lee, Jin-kyung; Kamp Dush, Claire M.

2016-01-01

Guided by research on psychological safety, we used longitudinal survey data from a sample of 182 dual-earner male-female couples to examine the role of supportive coparenting in mediating relations between adult attachment orientations and parenting stress/satisfaction, and further considered whether parenting self-efficacy moderated relations between supportive coparenting and parenting stress/satisfaction. Path analyses using IBM SPSS AMOS 22 and bootstrapping techniques indicated that fathers’ (but not mothers’) perceptions of supportive coparenting at 3 months postpartum mediated the associations between their attachment anxiety in the third trimester of pregnancy and their parenting stress and satisfaction at 9 months postpartum. Additional tests of moderation revealed that mothers’ perceptions of greater supportive coparenting were associated with lower parenting stress only when their parenting self-efficacy was low, but fathers’ perceptions of greater supportive coparenting were associated with greater parenting satisfaction only when their parenting self-efficacy was high. Implications and limitations are discussed. PMID:29056880

Co-Parenting Quality, Parenting Stress, and Feeding Challenges in Families with a Child Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thullen, Matthew; Bonsall, Aaron

2017-01-01

113 parents of children aged 5-13 with ASD completed online surveys assessing co-parenting quality, parenting stress, and child feeding challenges. Results indicated that food selectivity was both the most frequently reported type of challenging feeding behavior and the most often reported as problematic but was also the only type of challenging…

Coparenting and toddler's interactive styles in family coalitions.

PubMed

Fivaz-Depeursinge, Elisabeth; Lopes, Francesco; Python, Maryline; Favez, Nicolas

2009-12-01

The current study examined the coparenting and toddler's interactive styles in family coalitions. According to structural family theory, boundaries between generations are clear in alliances, but disturbed in coalitions: the parents look to the child to regulate their conflictual relationship and the child attempts to meet this need. In a normative sample studied longitudinally during the Lausanne Trilogue Play situation (LTP, N=38), 15 coalition cases were detected. Styles of coparenting and of child's interactions were determined and compared in coalition and alliance cases at 18 months. Findings confirm the structural family model by showing the specific ways in which the coparenting and the toddler's interactive styles are associated in 3 different patterns of coalitions: binding, detouring, and triangulation. They illustrate how the child's triangular capacity, or her ability to simultaneously communicate with both parents, is used to regulate the parents' relationship. They suggest that the LTP observational paradigm is a promising assessment method of early family interactions. They point to the importance of assessing early the child's contribution to family coalitions.

Divorced mothers' coparental boundary maintenance after parents repartner.

PubMed

Ganong, Lawrence; Coleman, Marilyn; Jamison, Tyler; Feistman, Richard

2015-04-01

When divorced parents remarry or cohabit with new partners, it is challenging to maintain functional postdivorce coparenting systems. In this grounded theory study of 19 divorced mothers, we examined the processes by which they maintained boundaries around coparental relationships after 1 or both coparents had repartnered. Mothers saw themselves as captains of the coparenting team, making decisions about who should play what roles in parenting their children. They viewed themselves as having primary responsibility for their children, and they saw their children's fathers as important coparenting partners. Mothers used a variety of strategies to preserve boundaries around the coparental subsystem when either they or their ex-husbands repartnered. Stepparents became more active participants in coparenting when: (a) mothers perceived them to be adequate caregivers, (b) biological parents were able to cooperatively coparent, (c) mothers perceived the fathers as good parents and responsible fathers, and (d) mothers felt secure as the primary parents. When all 4 conditions were present, mothers were likely to expand the coparental subsystem to include new partners. If any of these conditions were not present, mothers resisted including stepparents as part of the child rearing team. The findings from this study highlight how coparental roles in a nonclinical sample of families develop and change; mothers often modify coparenting boundaries over time to include stepparents. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Effects of the Dads for Life intervention on interparental conflict and coparenting in the two years after divorce.

PubMed

Cookston, Jeffrey T; Braver, Sanford L; Griffin, William A; De Lusé, Stephanie R; Miles, Jonathan C

2007-03-01

The ability of parents to forge harmonious coparenting relationships following divorce is an important predictor of their children's long-term well-being. However, there is no convincing evidence that this relationship can be modified through intervention. A preventive intervention that we developed, Dads for Life (DFL), which targeted noncustodial parents as participants, has previously been shown in a randomized field trial to favorably impact child well-being. We explore here whether it also has an impact on mothers' and fathers' perceptions of coparenting and interparental conflict in the 2 years following divorce. Results of the latent growth curve models we evaluated showed that both mothers and fathers reported less conflict when the father participated in DFL as compared with controls. For the fathers, perceptions of coparenting did not change over time in either the DFL or control conditions. Alternatively, mothers' perceptions of support declined over time in the control group, whereas those whose ex-husbands participated in the DFL program reported significant positive growth change toward healthier coparenting. The positive findings for mothers' reports are particularly compelling because mothers were not the participants, and thus common alternative explanations are ruled out. The DFL intervention, then, offers courts a promising program to improve families' functioning after divorce.

Modeling the dyadic effects of parenting, stress, and coping on parent–child communication in families tested for hereditary breast-ovarian cancer risk

PubMed Central

Hamilton, Jada G.; Mays, Darren; DeMarco, Tiffani; Tercyak, Kenneth P.

2016-01-01

Genetic testing for BRCA genes, associated with hereditary breast-ovarian cancer risk, is an accepted cancer control strategy. BRCA genetic testing has both medical and psychosocial implications for individuals seeking testing and their family members. However, promoting open and adaptive communication about cancer risk in the family is challenging for parents of minor children. Using prospective data collected from mothers undergoing BRCA genetic testing and their untested co-parents (N = 102 parenting dyads), we examined how maternal and co-parent characteristics independently and conjointly influenced the overall quality of parent–child communication with minor children. Statistical associations were tested in accordance with the Actor–Partner Interdependence Model. Significant Actor effects were observed among mothers, such that open parent–child communication prior to genetic testing was positively associated with open communication 6 months following receipt of genetic test results; and among co-parents, more open parent–child communication at baseline and greater perceived quality of the parenting relationship were associated with more open parent–child communication at follow-up. Partner effects were also observed: co-parents’ baseline communication and confidence in their ability to communicate with their minor children about genetic testing was positively associated with open maternal parent– child communication at follow-up. These results demonstrate that for families facing the prospect of cancer genetic testing, perceptions and behaviors of both members of child-rearing couples have important implications for the overall quality of communication with their minor children, including communication about cancer risk. PMID:26848859

Cigarette Smoking among African American Youth from Single Mother Homes: Examining the Roles of Maternal Smoking and Positive Parenting within an Extended Family Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foster, Sarah E.; Zalot, Alecia A.; Jones, Deborah J.

2007-01-01

The current study examined the main and interactive effects of three family context variables, maternal smoking, positive parenting behavior, and the quality of the mother's relationship with another adult or family member who assists with parenting (i.e., coparent), and adolescent smoking among African American youth from single mother homes. The…

The Effects of Mother Participation in Relationship Education on Coparenting, Parenting, and Child Social Competence: Modeling Spillover Effects for Low-Income Minority Preschool Children.

PubMed

Adler-Baeder, Francesca; Garneau, Chelsea; Vaughn, Brian; McGill, Julianne; Harcourt, Kate Taylor; Ketring, Scott; Smith, Thomas

2018-03-01

Although suggestions are that benefits of relationship and marriage education (RME) participation extend from the interparental relationship with parenting and child outcomes, few evaluation studies of RME test these assumptions and the relationship among changes in these areas. This quasi-experimental study focuses on a parallel process growth model that tests a spillover hypothesis of program effects and finds, in a sample of low-income minority mothers with a child attending a Head Start program, that increases in mother reports of coparenting agreement for RME participants predict decreases in their reports of punitive parenting behaviors. Although improvements in parenting behaviors did not predict increases in teacher reports of children's social competence, improvements in coparenting agreement were associated with increases in children's social competence over time. In addition, comparative tests of outcomes between parents in the program and parents in a comparison group reveal that RME program participants (n = 171) demonstrate significant improvements compared to nonparticipants (n = 143) on coparenting agreement, parenting practices, and teachers' reports of preschool children's social competence over a 1 year period. The findings are offered as a step forward in better understanding the experiences of low-resource participants in RME. Implications for future research are discussed. © 2016 Family Process Institute.

'Friendly allies in raising a child': a survey of men and women seeking elective co-parenting arrangements via an online connection website.

PubMed

Jadva, V; Freeman, T; Tranfield, E; Golombok, S

2015-08-01

What are the characteristics, motivations and expectations of men and women who search for a co-parent online? Male and female prospective co-parents differed in terms of their motivations, choice of co-parent and expectations of co-parenting, while differences according to sexual orientation were less marked. Very few studies have addressed the experiences of elective co-parents, i.e. men and women who are not in a relationship with each other creating and raising a child together. No study has examined the motivations and experiences of those who seek co-parents online. An online survey was completed by 102 participants (61 men, 41 women) who were members of Pride Angel, an online connection website that facilitates contact between people looking for someone with whom to have a child. The survey was live for 7 weeks. Details of the survey were emailed to all members of Pride Angel. The survey obtained data on participants' demographic characteristics, motivations, choice of co-parent and expectations of co-parenting. Data were analysed to examine differences by gender and by sexual orientation within each gender. Approximately one-third of men and one half of women seeking co-parenting arrangements were heterosexual. The majority (69, 68%) of participants were single, although significantly more gay and bisexual men (15, 36%) and lesbian and bisexual women (11, 55%) had a partner compared with heterosexual men (4, 20%) and heterosexual women (2, 12%), respectively. Overall, the most important motivation for seeking co-parenting arrangements was in order for both biological parents to be involved in the child's upbringing. Co-parents were looking for someone with a good medical history. Most female co-parents expected the child to live with them, whereas male co-parents either wished the child to reside with the mother or to live equally in both households. A higher proportion of gay and bisexual men than heterosexual men wanted daily contact with the child. Although this study presents data from the largest sample of elective co-parents to date, the main limitations were the low response rate and that only members of one website were approached. The findings may not be representative of all potential elective co-parents. This study provides important insights into the new phenomenon of elective co-parenting. With the increasing use of assisted reproductive technologies and the diversification of family forms, a growing number of people are seeking co-parenting arrangements to have children. While up until now, elective co-parenting has been principally associated with the gay and lesbian community, this study shows that, with the rise of co-parenting websites, increasing numbers of heterosexual men and women are seeking these types of parenting arrangements. This study generates the first findings on the expectations and motivations of those who seek co-parents online and examines whether these differ according to gender and sexual orientation. Future studies are needed to assess the impact of this new form of parenting on all involved, particularly the children. This study was supported by the Wellcome Trust (097857/Z/11/Z). Erika Tranfield is the co-founder of the website Pride Angel, the remaining authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology.

‘Friendly allies in raising a child’: a survey of men and women seeking elective co-parenting arrangements via an online connection website

PubMed Central

Jadva, V.; Freeman, T.; Tranfield, E.; Golombok, S.

2015-01-01

STUDY QUESTION What are the characteristics, motivations and expectations of men and women who search for a co-parent online? SUMMARY ANSWER Male and female prospective co-parents differed in terms of their motivations, choice of co-parent and expectations of co-parenting, while differences according to sexual orientation were less marked. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Very few studies have addressed the experiences of elective co-parents, i.e. men and women who are not in a relationship with each other creating and raising a child together. No study has examined the motivations and experiences of those who seek co-parents online. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE AND DURATION An online survey was completed by 102 participants (61 men, 41 women) who were members of Pride Angel, an online connection website that facilitates contact between people looking for someone with whom to have a child. The survey was live for 7 weeks. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Details of the survey were emailed to all members of Pride Angel. The survey obtained data on participants' demographic characteristics, motivations, choice of co-parent and expectations of co-parenting. Data were analysed to examine differences by gender and by sexual orientation within each gender. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Approximately one-third of men and one half of women seeking co-parenting arrangements were heterosexual. The majority (69, 68%) of participants were single, although significantly more gay and bisexual men (15, 36%) and lesbian and bisexual women (11, 55%) had a partner compared with heterosexual men (4, 20%) and heterosexual women (2, 12%), respectively. Overall, the most important motivation for seeking co-parenting arrangements was in order for both biological parents to be involved in the child's upbringing. Co-parents were looking for someone with a good medical history. Most female co-parents expected the child to live with them, whereas male co-parents either wished the child to reside with the mother or to live equally in both households. A higher proportion of gay and bisexual men than heterosexual men wanted daily contact with the child. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Although this study presents data from the largest sample of elective co-parents to date, the main limitations were the low response rate and that only members of one website were approached. The findings may not be representative of all potential elective co-parents. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS This study provides important insights into the new phenomenon of elective co-parenting. With the increasing use of assisted reproductive technologies and the diversification of family forms, a growing number of people are seeking co-parenting arrangements to have children. While up until now, elective co-parenting has been principally associated with the gay and lesbian community, this study shows that, with the rise of co-parenting websites, increasing numbers of heterosexual men and women are seeking these types of parenting arrangements. This study generates the first findings on the expectations and motivations of those who seek co-parents online and examines whether these differ according to gender and sexual orientation. Future studies are needed to assess the impact of this new form of parenting on all involved, particularly the children. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This study was supported by the Wellcome Trust (097857/Z/11/Z). Erika Tranfield is the co-founder of the website Pride Angel, the remaining authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. PMID:26040481

Social support and coparenting among lesbian, gay, and heterosexual adoptive parents.

PubMed

Sumontha, Jason; Farr, Rachel H; Patterson, Charlotte J

2016-12-01

In this study, we examined associations between qualities of families' social contexts and experiences of coparenting. In a sample of 92 adoptive families, we assessed perceived social support among 23 lesbian, 28 gay, and 41 heterosexual adoptive parent families and its association with parents' perceptions of their coparenting alliances. Results showed that parents in same- and other-sex couples reported receiving similar amounts of social support from family, friends, and significant others. Perceived social support was positively associated with stronger coparenting alliance among all family types. Perceived support from family members explained more variance in parenting alliance than did support from friends or significant others. These findings add to knowledge about fundamental family processes and enhance understanding of parenthood among lesbian and gay adoptive couples. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

The Co-Parenting System: Longitudinal Effects for Kindergartners of Differences between Mothers' and Fathers' Parenting Styles.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaplan, Joan A.

The purpose of this study was to extend research on parenting styles and parent-child socialization beyond the dyadic relationships and toward inclusion of variables that give information about the couple's co-parenting, that is, the way they work together as parents. At the initial assessment, 45 predominantly middle-class families with a…

Contribution of Parenting Factors to the Developmental Attainment of 9-Month-Old Infants: Results From the Japan Children’s Study

PubMed Central

Cheng, Shunyue; Maeda, Tadahiko; Tomiwa, Kiyotaka; Yamakawa, Noriko; Koeda, Tatsuya; Kawai, Masatoshi; Ogura, Tamiko; Yamagata, Zentaro

2009-01-01

Background Child development integrates several interdependent domains, but few studies have attempted to identify the common factors that contribute to these different domains of development in infancy. The aim of the present study was to identify the factors that contribute to several domains of developmental attainment in 9-month-old infants. Methods We used data from the Japan Children’s Study, a prospective cohort study underway in Japan since 2005. Mothers completed questionnaires about their children’s temperament, coparenting behaviors, maternal parenting stress, and parenting behavior. The Kinder infant development scale was used to evaluate child development outcomes. Results A total of 270 children were included in this analysis. After adjusting for the children’s birth weight, gestational age, temperament, and other family environmental variables, multiple logistic regression analyses showed that greater maternal cognitive stimulation was associated with the development of receptive language, expressive language, social relationships, and feeding. Results also suggest that early supportive coparenting helped to promote development in manipulation, receptive language, and social relationships. Maternal parenting stress was stable between the infant ages of 4 and 9 months and was negatively correlated with scores for coparenting and maternal stimulation, which suggests an indirect effect of maternal parenting stress on child outcomes. Conclusions Supportive coparenting and maternal cognitive stimulation were the most important contributors to most domains of child development. Our findings suggest that educational interventions targeting young families would help parents establish and maintain an environment of successful coparenting and cognitive stimulation as their children grow. PMID:19776496

Disentangling the relative contribution of parental antisociality and family discord to child disruptive disorders.

PubMed

Bornovalova, Marina A; Blazei, Ryan; Malone, Stephen H; McGue, Matt; Iacono, William G

2013-07-01

A number of familial risk factors for childhood disruptive disorders have been identified. However, many of these risk factors often co-occur with parental antisociality, which by itself may account for both the familial risk factors and the increased likelihood of offspring disruptive behavior disorders (DBDs). The current study aimed to examine the association of parenting behaviors, marital conflict, and divorce with child DBDs while accounting for (a) coparent parenting behaviors, and (b) parental adult antisocial behavior (AAB). A series of regressions tested the association between family-level variables (namely, parent-child relationship quality, parental willingness to use physical punishment, marital adjustment, and history of divorce) and DBDs (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, and oppositional defiant disorder) alone and after statistically adjusting for coparent variables and parental AAB. Results indicated that parents with AAB were more likely to engage in various forms of maladaptive parenting, to divorce, and to have conflictual marriages. Maladaptive parenting, marital conflict, and divorce were associated with heightened rates of child DBDs, and these associations persisted after adjusting for coparent parenting and parental AAB. Finally, the mother's parenting behaviors had a higher impact on child DBDs than the father's parenting behaviors. Thus, familial variables continue to have an effect on childhood DBDs even after accounting for confounding influences. These variables should be a focus of research on etiology and intervention.

Disentangling the Relative Contribution of Parental Antisociality and Family Discord to Child Disruptive Disorders

PubMed Central

Bornovalova, Marina A.; Blazei, Ryan; Malone, Steve; McGue, Matt; Iacono, William G.

2012-01-01

A number of familial risk factors for childhood disruptive disorders have been identified. However, many of these risk factors often co-occur with parental antisociality, which by itself may account for both the familial risk factors and the increased likelihood of offspring disruptive behavior disorders (DBDs). The current study aimed to examine the association of parenting behaviors, marital conflict, and divorce with child DBDs while accounting for a) co-parent parenting behaviors, and b) parental adult antisocial behavior (AAB). A series of regressions tested the association between family-level variables (namely, parent-child relationship quality, parental willingness to use physical punishment, marital adjustment, and history of divorce) and DBDs (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, and oppositional defiant disorder) alone and after statistically adjusting for co-parent variables and parental AAB. Results indicated that parents with AAB were more likely to engage in various forms of maladaptive parenting, to divorce, and to have conflictual marriages. Maladaptive parenting, marital conflict, and divorce were associated with heightened rates of child DBDs, and these associations persisted after adjusting for co-parent parenting and parental AAB. Finally, the mother’s parenting behaviors had a higher impact on child DBDs than the father’s parenting behaviors. Thus, familial variables continue to have an effect on childhood DBDs even after accounting for confounding influences. These variables should be a focus of research on etiology and intervention. PMID:22888991

The Development and piloting of an eHealth breastfeeding resource targeting fathers and partners as co-parents.

PubMed

Abbass-Dick, Jennifer; Xie, Fangli; Koroluk, Jaymie; Alcock Brillinger, Shelley; Huizinga, Joanne; Newport, Amber; Goodman, William M; Dennis, Cindy-Lee

2017-07-01

Traditionally breastfeeding education programs target mothers solely. The objective of this study was to design and pilot test an interactive eHealth breastfeeding co-parenting resource developed to target both mothers and fathers. eHealth resources provide an accessible and engaging format on which to educate parents and assist them in meeting their breastfeeding goals. Best practices to design such resources are not currently known. A three phase pilot study was conducted. The three phases included conducting a needs assessment, creating the resource and pilot testing the resource with mother, father and health care professionals to determine their perspectives regarding the usability and design of the prototype resource. The interactive prototype resource was designed to provide information to parents on breastfeeding and co-parenting, which included suggestions on how fathers can be involved and support breastfeeding and how the couples can work as a team to meet their breastfeeding goals. Setting: Recruitment took place in a health region in Southern Ontario, Canada between June 2014 and March 2015. Online questionnaires were completed by participants in all phases of the study. Participants (n=149) were pregnant or new mothers and their partners in the health region who read and speak English and had access to the internet and health care professionals who work with breastfeeding families in Ontario, Canada. A prototype eHealth breastfeeding co-parenting resource was developed based on maternal and paternal feedback from Phase I and utilized an interactive interface which included games and multimodal information delivery. The prototype eHealth resource was provided to the parents in Phase II and health care professionals in Phase III. The final resource was created based on feedback from these participants. The resource was pilot tested with new and expectant parents using pre- and post-test questionnaires which included measures for breastfeeding self-efficacy (Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Short Form), infant feeding attitude (Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale), breastfeeding knowledge (Breastfeeding Knowledge Questionnaire) and co-parenting relationship (Co-parenting Relationship Scale). Maternal and paternal breastfeeding self-efficacy and knowledge and infant feeding attitude scores all increased from pre-test to post-test. However, there was no difference in the co-parenting relationship scores from pretest to post-test. This study has used feedback from parents and health professionals to develop a prototype resource which appears to be effective in increasing parents' breastfeeding knowledge, attitude and self-efficacy. The prototype resource was rated positively by parents and health care providers. An eHealth breastfeeding co-parenting resource designed with input from the target population is an effective way of providing information to mothers and fathers. Further research with a randomized controlled design and more diverse populations is needed to determine effectiveness of the resource on breastfeeding duration and exclusivity. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Parental Mindfulness and Dyadic Relationship Quality in Low-income Cohabiting Black Stepfamilies: Associations with Parenting Experienced by Adolescents

PubMed Central

Parent, Justin; Clifton, Jessica; Forehand, Rex; Golub, Andrew; Reid, Megan; Pichler, Emily R.

2014-01-01

Cohabitation is a family structure experienced by many Black children; yet, we have limited understanding of how personal and interpersonal processes operate within these families to influence the parenting provided to these children. Informed by both family systems theory and the spillover hypothesis and utilizing a model to account for the interdependence of the mother and her partner, the current study sought to understand the direct and indirect associations among parental mindfulness, the mother-partner relationship quality, and firm parenting practices in a sample of 121 Black cohabiting low-income stepfamilies. Assessment consisted of standardized measurements of maternal and male cohabiting partner reports on mindfulness (i.e., acting with awareness) and relationship quality (i.e., relationship satisfaction, ability to resolve conflict, and coparenting conflict) as well as adolescent report on parenting (i.e., parent’s firm control). Mindfulness was directly related to each individual’s own perceptions of relationship quality and some support emerged for a cross-informant link (e.g., mother’s mindfulness related to partner report of relationship quality). Furthermore, maternal perceptions of relationship quality, as well as mindfulness operating through relationship quality, were related to youth reports of maternal firm parenting. The results suggest that both mindfulness and the relationship quality of adults are variables deserving attention when studying the parenting received by children in cohabiting stepfamilies. Clinical implications of the findings are considered. PMID:25544936

Coparenting Around Siblings’ Differential Treatment in Mexican-Origin Families

PubMed Central

Solmeyer, Anna R.; Killoren, Sarah E.; McHale, Susan M.; Updegraff, Kimberly A.

2011-01-01

This study examined patterns of mothers’ and fathers’ differential affection and discipline toward two adolescent offspring in 243 Mexican-origin families. Grounding our work in a family systems perspective, we used interparental patterns of differential treatment as an index of the coparental alliance and tested their associations with parents’ reports of familism values, traditional gender role attitudes, and cultural orientations. We also sought to replicate prior research on European American samples linking interparental patterns of differential treatment to marital qualities (coparenting satisfaction, love, and conflict) and adolescent depressive symptoms and risky behaviors. Three interparental patterns emerged: families in which both mothers and fathers treated their two offspring equally, incongruent families in which one parent treated both offspring equally while the other parent favored one offspring, and congruent families in which both parents favored the same offspring. Most parents reported equal treatment, but others fell into the incongruent affection (30%), incongruent discipline (45%), and congruent discipline (16%) groups. Mixed model ANOVAs revealed that in families in which mothers and fathers both treated their offspring equally, parents reported higher familism values, more traditional gender role attitudes, and relatively stronger orientations to Mexican than Anglo culture. Consistent with previous research, interparental incongruence was associated with less positive marital qualities and more adolescent adjustment problems. Discussion focuses on the role of culture in shaping coparenting and the processes through which these coparenting dynamics are linked to marital and youth adjustment. PMID:21480704

The role of coparents in African American single-mother families: the indirect effect of coparent identity on youth psychosocial adjustment.

PubMed

Parent, Justin; Jones, Deborah J; Forehand, Rex; Cuellar, Jessica; Shoulberg, Erin K

2013-04-01

The majority (67%) of African American youth live in single-parent households, a shift in the family structure that has been linked to increased risk for both internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors. Although the majority of single mothers endorse the assistance of another adult or family member in child rearing, relatively little is known about who is engaged in this nonmarital coparenting role (i.e., grandmother, father/social father, aunt, and female family friend) and how it relates to coparenting quality, maternal parenting, and youth psychosocial outcomes (i.e., internalizing and externalizing problems). This question, which is critical to the advancement of family focused programming for youth in these families, is addressed in this study. The participants examined in the current study were 159 African American single-mother child dyads. Adolescents' maternal grandmothers constituted the largest proportion of coparents in the sample (37.2%), followed by the mothers' female family friends (22.5%), adolescents' maternal aunts (12.7%), and adolescents' fathers/social fathers (11%). Differences emerged among groups of coparents in support and conflict with the mother. Specifically, grandmothers, aunts, and female family friends provided significantly more instrumental support than fathers. Furthermore, grandmothers and fathers had more conflict with the mother, both generally and specifically in front of the child, than aunts or female family friends. In turn, these differences were associated directly and indirectly through maternal parenting with internalizing and externalizing problems. Clinical implications and future directions are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).

Coparenting within the Family System: Influences on Children's Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gable, Sara; And Others

1994-01-01

Focuses on coparenting, spouses as partners or adversaries in parenting role, in families raising toddler sons. Reviews preliminary longitudinal research findings concerning nature of coparenting and contextual determinants of different types of coparenting alliances. Proposes coparenting processes to interact with marital and parent-child…

Relating engagement to outcomes in prevention: the case of a parenting program for couples.

PubMed

Brown, Louis D; Goslin, Megan C; Feinberg, Mark E

2012-09-01

Analyses of program engagement can provide critical insight into how program involvement leads to outcomes. This study examines the relation between participant engagement and program outcomes in Family Foundations (FF), a universal preventive intervention designed to help couples manage the transition to parenthood by improving coparenting relationship quality. Previous intent-to-treat outcome analyses from a randomized trial indicate FF improves parental adjustment, interparental relationships, and parenting. Analyses for the current study use the same sample, and yield statistically reliable relations between participant engagement and interparental relationships but not parental adjustment or parenting. Discussion considers implications for FF and the difficulties researchers face when examining the relation between engagement and outcomes in preventive interventions.

Relating Engagement to Outcomes in Prevention: The Case of a Parenting Program for Couples

PubMed Central

Brown, Louis D.; Goslin, Megan C.; Feinberg, Mark E.

2011-01-01

Analyses of program engagement can provide critical insight into how program involvement leads to outcomes. This study examines the relation between participant engagement and program outcomes in Family Foundations (FF), a universal preventive intervention designed to help couples manage the transition to parenthood by improving coparenting relationship quality. Previous intent-to-treat outcome analyses from a randomized trial indicate FF improves parental adjustment, interparental relationships, and parenting. Analyses for the current study use the same sample, and yield statistically reliable relations between participant engagement and interparental relationships but not parental adjustment or parenting. Discussion considers implications for FF and the difficulities researchers face when examining the relation between engagement and outcomes in preventive interventions. PMID:21826536

Interpersonal behavior, psychopathology, and relationship outcomes among adolescent mothers and their partners.

PubMed

Moore, David R; Florsheim, Paul; Butner, Jonathan

2007-01-01

This study was designed to identify predictors of relationship outcomes among 179 young (ages 14-24) coparenting couples during the transition to parenthood, with a particular focus on interpersonal process and psychopathology. Findings indicated that couples identified as hostile during the prenatal assessment were more likely to report relationship violence at follow-up (2 years postbirth). Couples identified as warm were more likely to remain together as coparents even if their romantic relationship dissolved. Couples in which the female partner was highly controlling were less likely to be cohabiting at follow-up. Mothers with a history of substance abuse and fathers with a history of conduct disorder were also more likely to engage in interpartner violence. Latino couples were more likely than Caucasian and African American couples to be warmly engaged and to remain romantically involved across the transition to parenthood.

The Longitudinal Influence of Coparenting Conflict on Parental Negativity and Adolescent Maladjustment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feinberg, Mark E.; Kan, Marni L.; Hetherington, E. Mavis

2007-01-01

This study addresses two limitations of coparenting research: first, little research on coparenting has been conducted with families of adolescents, and second, there is little understanding regarding the child and family contexts in which coparenting is most salient. The longitudinal relation of coparenting conflict to parenting and adolescent…

Coparenting around siblings' differential treatment in Mexican-origin families.

PubMed

Solmeyer, Anna R; Killoren, Sarah E; McHale, Susan M; Updegraff, Kimberly A

2011-04-01

In this study we examined patterns of mothers' and fathers' differential affection and discipline toward 2 adolescent offspring in 243 Mexican-origin families. Grounding our work in a family systems perspective, we used interparental patterns of differential treatment as an index of the coparental alliance and tested their associations with parents' reports of familism values, traditional gender role attitudes, and cultural orientations. We also sought to replicate prior research on European American samples linking interparental patterns of differential treatment to marital qualities (coparenting satisfaction, love, and conflict) and adolescent depressive symptoms and risky behaviors. Three interparental patterns emerged: families in which both mothers and fathers treated their 2 offspring equally, incongruent families in which 1 parent treated both offspring equally while the other parent favored 1 offspring, and congruent families in which both parents favored the same offspring. Most parents reported equal treatment, but others fell into the incongruent affection (30%), incongruent discipline (45%), and congruent discipline (16%) groups. Mixed model analyses of variances revealed that in families in which mothers and fathers both treated their offspring equally, parents reported higher familism values, more traditional gender role attitudes, and relatively stronger orientations to Mexican than Anglo culture. Consistent with previous research, interparental incongruence was associated with less positive marital qualities and more adolescent adjustment problems. Discussion focuses on the role of culture in shaping coparenting and the processes through which these coparenting dynamics are linked to marital and youth adjustment.

RELATIONS BETWEEN COPARENTING AND FATHER INVOLVEMENT IN FAMILIES WITH PRESCHOOL AGED CHILDREN

PubMed Central

Jia, Rongfang; Schoppe-Sullivan, Sarah J.

2012-01-01

One-hundred twelve primarily European American and middle-class two-parent families with resident fathers and a 4-year-old child (48% girls) participated in a longitudinal study of associations between coparenting and father involvement. At the initial assessment and one year later, fathers reported on their involvement in play and caregiving activities with the focal child, and coparenting behavior was observed during triadic family interactions. SEM was used to test cross-lagged associations between coparenting behavior and father involvement. Overall, paths from father involvement to coparenting behavior were significant, but paths from coparenting behavior to father involvement were not. Specifically, greater father involvement in play was associated with an increase in supportive and a decrease in undermining coparenting behavior over time. In contrast, greater father involvement in caregiving was associated with a decrease in supportive and an increase in undermining coparenting behavior. Multi-group analysis further showed that these cross-lagged relations did not differ for dual earner families and single (father) earner families, but these relations appeared to differ for families with focal daughters and families with focal sons. These findings highlight the potential for fathering to affect coparenting and the importance of considering the role of contextual factors in coparenting-fathering relations. PMID:21244153

The Human Coparental Bond Implicates Distinct Corticostriatal Pathways: Longitudinal Impact on Family Formation and Child Well-Being.

PubMed

Abraham, Eyal; Gilam, Gadi; Kanat-Maymon, Yaniv; Jacob, Yael; Zagoory-Sharon, Orna; Hendler, Talma; Feldman, Ruth

2017-11-01

Alloparental care, the cooperative care of offspring by group members other than the biological mother, has been widely practiced since early hominin evolution to increase infant survival and thriving. The coparental bond-a relationship of solidarity and commitment between two adults who join their effort to care for children-is a central contributor to children's well-being and sociality; yet, the neural basis of coparenting has not been studied in humans. Here, we followed 84 first-time co-parents (42 couples) across the first 6 years of family formation, including opposite-sex and same-sex couples, measured brain response to coparental stimuli, observed collaborative and undermining coparental behaviors in infancy and preschool, assayed oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP), and measured coparenting and child behavior problems at 6 years. Across family types, coparental stimuli activated the striatum, specifically the ventral striatum and caudate, striatal nodes implicated in motivational goal-directed social behavior. Psychophysiological interaction analysis indicated that both nodes were functionally coupled with the vmPFC in support of the human coparental bond and this connectivity was stronger as collaborative coparental behavior increased. Furthermore, caudate functional connectivity patterns differentiated distinct corticostriatal pathways associated with two stable coparental behavioral styles; stronger caudate-vmPFC connectivity was associated with more collaborative coparenting and was linked to OT, whereas a stronger caudate-dACC connectivity was associated with increase in undermining coparenting and was related to AVP. Finally, dyadic path-analysis model indicated that the parental caudate-vmPFC connectivity in infancy predicted lower child externalizing symptoms at 6 years as mediated by collaborative coparenting in preschool. Findings indicate that the coparental bond is underpinned by striatal activations and corticostriatal connectivity similar to other human affiliative bonds; highlight specific corticostriatal pathways as defining distinct coparental orientations that underpin family life; chart brain-hormone-behavior constellations for the mature, child-orientated coparental bond; and demonstrate the flexibility of this bond across family constellations and its unique contribution to child well-being.

Randomized Study of a Prebirth Coparenting Intervention with Adolescent and Young Fathers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fagan, Jay

2008-01-01

This randomized study tested the effects of 2 prebirth interventions, Minnesota Early Learning Design coparenting and childbirth curricula, on young African American and Hispanic fathers and their adolescent partners (N = 154). The coparenting intervention (n = 44) was associated with changing fathers' perceptions of their coparenting behavior…

Examining a Self-Report Measure of Parent-Teacher Cocaring Relationships and Associations with Parental Involvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lang, Sarah N.; Schoppe-Sullivan, Sarah J.; Jeon, Lieny

2017-01-01

By adapting a self-administered assessment of coparenting, we sought to provide a new tool, the Cocaring Relationship Questionnaire, to measure parent-teacher, or cocaring relationships, and provide additional construct validity for the multidimensional concept of cocaring. Next, recognizing the importance of parental involvement for young…

Correlates of male cohabiting partner's involvement in child-rearing tasks in low-income urban Black stepfamilies.

PubMed

Forehand, Rex; Parent, Justin; Golub, Andrew; Reid, Megan

2014-06-01

Cohabitation is a family structure experienced by many Black children. This study examines the link between family relationships (child relationship with mother and the cohabiting partner; parent and cohabiting partner relationship) and involvement of biologically unrelated male cohabiting partners (MCP) in child rearing. The participants were 121 low-income urban Black families consisting of a single mother, MCP, and an adolescent (56% female, M age = 13.7). Assessments were conducted individually with mothers, MCPs, and adolescents via measures administered by interview. MCPs were involved in both domains of child rearing assessed (daily child-related tasks and setting limits) and those identified as coparents by the mother were more involved in child-rearing tasks than those not identified as coparents. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), the mother-MCP relationship (both support and conflict) and the adolescent-MCP relationship were related to MCP's involvement in both domains of child rearing. The findings indicate that MCPs are actively involved in child rearing and family relationship variables are associated with their involvement in these tasks. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Coparenting among Lesbian, Gay, and Heterosexual Couples: Associations with Adopted Children's Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farr, Rachel H.; Patterson, Charlotte J.

2013-01-01

Coparenting is associated with child behavior in families with heterosexual parents, but less is known about coparenting among lesbian- and gay-parent families. Associations were studied among self-reported divisions of labor, coparenting observations, and child adjustment ("M[subscript age]" = 3 years) among 104 adoptive families headed…

His, hers, or theirs? Coparenting after the birth of a second child.

PubMed

Kuo, Patty X; Volling, Brenda L; Gonzalez, Richard

2017-09-01

This study examined changes in coparenting after the birth of a second child. Mothers and fathers from 241 2-parent families reported on their spouses' coparenting cooperation and conflict with their firstborn children before (prenatal) and 4 months after the birth of a second child. Parents completed prenatal questionnaires on their gender-role attitudes, marital satisfaction, and firstborn children's temperamental characteristics. Parents also reported on their second-born infants' temperaments at 1 month of age. Coparenting conflict increased across the transition, and cooperation decreased. Couples in which fathers reported greater marital satisfaction were more cooperative 4 months after the second birth. Firstborns' difficult temperaments contributed to less cooperative coparenting by both parents. When mothers had more traditional gender-role beliefs, fathers engaged in more conflictual coparenting behavior, and when fathers had more traditional gender-role beliefs, mothers engaged in more conflictual coparenting behavior. Mothers, but not fathers, engaged in more coparenting conflict regarding the firstborn when both the firstborn and infant sibling had difficult temperaments. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Coparenting Experiences in African American Families: An Examination of Single Mothers and their Non-Marital Coparents

PubMed Central

Gonzalez, Michelle; Jones, Deborah J.; Parent, Justin

2015-01-01

African American youth from single mother homes continue to be overrepresented in statistics on risk behavior and delinquency, a trend that many be attributed to father-absence, socioeconomic disadvantage, and compromises in parenting more typical of single than two-parent families. Yet, this risk-focused perspective ignores a long-standing strength of the African American community, the involvement and potential protective impact of extended family members in childrearing. This study describes the experiences of 95 African American single mothers and their non-marital coparents who participated in a study of African American single mother families with an 11 to 16 year old child. Specifically, the study examines: 1) the extent to which nonmarital coparents are involved in childrearing; 2) the relative levels of risk (i.e., depression, mother-coparent conflict) and protective (i.e., parenting) associated with maternal and coparent involvement; and 3) how similarly and/or differently coparent and mother variables operate with regard to youth externalizing problems. Findings reveal that a range of family members and other adults actively participate in childrearing in African American single mother families, coparents do not differ from mothers on certain study variables (i.e., depression and mother-coparent conflict) but do for others (parenting), and coparent involvement is associated with youth adjustment in ways that are similar to our more established understanding of maternal involvement. The potential clinical implications of the findings are discussed and future research directions are highlighted. PMID:24479612

Coparenting experiences in African American families: an examination of single mothers and their nonmarital coparents.

PubMed

Gonzalez, Michelle; Jones, Deborah; Parent, Justin

2014-03-01

African American youth from single-mother homes continue to be overrepresented in statistics on risk behavior and delinquency, a trend that many be attributed to father-absence, socioeconomic disadvantage, and compromises in parenting more typical of single than two-parent families. Yet, this risk-focused perspective ignores a long-standing strength of the African American community, the involvement and potential protective impact of extended family members in childrearing. This study describes the experiences of 95 African American single mothers and their nonmarital coparents who participated in a study of African American single-mother families with an 11-16-year-old child. Specifically, the study examines: (a) the extent to which nonmarital coparents are involved in childrearing; (b) the relative levels of risk (i.e., depression, mother-coparent conflict) and protective (i.e., parenting) associated with maternal and coparent involvement; and (c) how similarly and/or differently coparent and mother variables operate with regard to youth externalizing problems. Findings reveal that a range of family members and other adults actively participate in childrearing in African American single-mother families, coparents do not differ from mothers on certain study variables (i.e., depression and mother-coparent conflict) but do for others (parenting), and coparent involvement is associated with youth adjustment in ways that are similar to our more established understanding of maternal involvement. The potential clinical implications of the findings are discussed and future research directions are highlighted. © 2014 FPI, Inc.

Divorce and Childhood Chronic Illness: A Grounded Theory of Trust, Gender, and Third-Party Care Providers.

PubMed

Russell, Luke T; Coleman, Marilyn; Ganong, Lawrence H; Gayer, Debra

2016-05-01

Divorced parents face distinct challenges in providing care for chronically ill children. Children's residence in two households necessitates the development of family-specific strategies to ensure coparents' supervision of regimen adherence and the management of children's health care. Utilizing a risk and resilience perspective, a grounded theory study was conducted with 14 divorced parents of children with chronic illnesses. The importance of trust, gender, and relationships with third-party care providers emerged as key themes related to the development of effective coparenting relationships for maintaining children's health. Divorced parents were best able to support the management of their children's chronic conditions when care providers operated as neutral third parties and intermediaries. Collaborative family care may require health care practitioners to avoid being drawn into contentious inter-parental conflicts. © The Author(s) 2016.

The associations for separated parents in Italy: Their role for parents' well-being and coparenting.

PubMed

Bertoni, Anna; Carrà, Elisabetta; Iafrate, Raffaella; Zanchettin, Alice; Parise, Miriam

2018-04-11

After separation or divorce, people generally experience a deterioration of health, not only in terms of physical well-being but also in terms of emotional and social well-being. In addition, when separated, individuals are parents as well and they are concerned with the well-being of their children. The main task for separated parents is to maintain a parental alliance (coparenting) for the sake of their children's well-being. Social support is a critical resource, which helps parents face their new life condition, promoting their psychological well-being. In recent years in Italy, many associations targeting separated and divorced parents have been founded: They support ex-partners during and after separation and are active in defending their rights. These associations are voluntary associations/non-profit organisations and self-help groups, which are constituted by parents themselves who associate to support each other in the tasks connected with separation. The present study investigated, with an explorative aim, the role of these associations for separated parents' well-being and coparenting abilities. In particular, drawing on a sample of 318 Italian separated parents (73.30% fathers; 26.70% mothers) belonging to a formal association targeting separated parents, the study analysed whether and how the perception of being supported by the association was related to psychological and relational well-being and to coparenting. Results showed that the more parents perceived to be supported by the association the less they were depressed, the more they were satisfied with the relationship with children and friends, and the more they displayed coparenting abilities. Our findings suggest that social support from these associations is a resource for separated parents' health. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Couple Relationship and Coparenting Program (Couple CARE for Parents) for High- and Low-Risk New Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petch, Jemima F.; Halford, W. Kim; Creedy, Debra K.; Gamble, Jenny

2012-01-01

Objective: This study evaluated the effectiveness of couple relationship education in assisting couples to sustain relationship functioning and parenting sensitivity, and whether benefits were moderated by risk of maladjustment in the transition to parenthood ("risk"). Method: Two hundred fifty couples expecting their first child were assessed on…

African American Couples’ Coparenting Satisfaction and Marital Characteristics in the First Two Decades of Marriage

PubMed Central

McHale, Susan M.

2017-01-01

This study charted the trajectory of coparenting satisfaction during the first and second decades of marriage and examined links between marital characteristics and coparenting satisfaction. Data came from a 3-year study of 145 African American mother-father dyads with pre-to late- adolescent-age offspring. Multi-level growth curves revealed an inverted U-shaped pattern of change in coparenting satisfaction; this effect was qualified by youth age such that the quadratic pattern was evident in families with older but not younger offspring. Controlling for cross-time averages of marital characteristics, changes in marital love were positively related, and changes in marital conflict were negatively related to changes in coparenting satisfaction, with stronger links for fathers than mothers. Inter-parental incongruence in childrearing attitudes moderated the effects of love, such that parents with more incongruent attitudes and lower levels of love reported the lowest levels of coparenting satisfaction. PMID:29081567

Is seeing believing? Expectant parents’ outlooks on coparenting and later coparenting solidarity

PubMed Central

McHale, James P.; Rotman, Tamir

2007-01-01

This study examined short- and longer-term sequelae of parents’ prenatal expectations of their future family process, and traced subsequent stability in coparenting solidarity from infancy through the toddler years. 110 couples expecting a first child participated in prenatal assessments of coparenting expectations and differences, and in 3 month post-partum evaluations. 45 couples completed subsequent assessments at 12 and 30 months. At each time point multi-method evaluations of coparental adjustment were obtained. Men’s and women’s expectancies during the pregnancy and the degree of difference between their self-reported beliefs about parenting predicted post-baby coparental adjustment, with latent class analyses suggesting aftereffects of prenatal expectancies up through 30 months for some couples. Coparental solidarity was also stable from 3 to 12 and from 12 to 30 months. Data indicate that the lens parents bring to bear on their emerging family system is not immaterial, and that early-emerging coparenting dynamics portend longer term coparenting adjustment. PMID:17292781

Child adjustment and parenting in planned lesbian-parent families.

PubMed

Bos, Henny M W; van Balen, Frank; van den Boom, Dymphna C

2007-01-01

One hundred planned lesbian-parent families (i.e., two-mother families in which the child was born to the lesbian relationship) were compared with 100 heterosexual-parent families on child adjustment, parental characteristics, and child rearing. Questionnaires, observations, and a diary of activities were used to collect the data. The results show that especially lesbian social mothers (i.e., nonbiological mothers) differ from heterosexual fathers on parental characteristics (e.g., more parental justification and more satisfaction with the partner as coparent) and child rearing (e.g., more parental concern and less power assertion). Child adjustment is not associated with family type (lesbian-parent families vs. heterosexual-parent families), but is predicted by power assertion, parental concern, and satisfaction with the partner as coparent.

Solving Sleep Behavior Disorders in Infants and Toddlers: The Munich Research and Intervention Program for Fussy Babies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papousek, Mechthild

2009-01-01

Sleep behavior disorders do not only affect infants' well-being, they also challenge the parents' physical and emotional resources, promote risks for the growing parent-infant relationships, and burden the parents' co-parenting relationship. Sleep-onset and night waking problems are widely spread among otherwise healthy infants, and they tend to…

Cognitive-affective depression and somatic symptoms clusters are differentially associated with maternal parenting and coparenting.

PubMed

Lamela, Diogo; Jongenelen, Inês; Morais, Ana; Figueiredo, Bárbara

2017-09-01

Both depressive and somatic symptoms are significant predictors of parenting and coparenting problems. However, despite clear evidence of their co-occurrence, no study to date has examined the association between depressive-somatic symptoms clusters and parenting and coparenting. The current research sought to identify and cross-validate clusters of cognitive-affective depressive symptoms and nonspecific somatic symptoms, as well as to test whether clusters would differ on parenting and coparenting problems across three independent samples of mothers. Participants in Studies 1 and 3 consisted of 409 and 652 community mothers, respectively. Participants in Study 2 consisted of 162 mothers exposed to intimate partner violence. All participants prospectively completed self-report measures of depressive and nonspecific somatic symptoms and parenting (Studies 1 and 2) or coparenting (Study 3). Across studies, three depression-somatic symptoms clusters were identified: no symptoms, high depression and low nonspecific somatic symptoms, and high depression and nonspecific somatic symptoms. The high depression-somatic symptoms cluster was associated with the highest levels of child physical maltreatment risk (Study 1) and overt-conflict coparenting (Study 3). No differences in perceived maternal competence (Study 2) and cooperative and undermining coparenting (Study 3) were found between the high depression and low somatic symptoms cluster and the high depression-somatic symptoms cluster. The results provide novel evidence for the strong associations between clusters of depression and nonspecific somatic symptoms and specific parenting and coparenting problems. Cluster stability across three independent samples suggest that they may be generalizable. The results inform preventive approaches and evidence-based psychotherapeutic treatments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Co-Parenting for Successful Kids: Impacts and Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choi, Jeong-Kyun; Hatton-Bowers, Holly; Brand, Gail; Poppe, Lisa M.; Foged, Jaclynn

2017-01-01

We examined the impacts of the Co-Parenting for Successful Kids program offered by University of Nebraska Extension. Using a sample of 2,622 parents who participated in the program in 2015, we measured their knowledge change and ability to perform cooperative co-parenting behaviors. Results suggest that the program effectively improved…

Self-perceived Coparenting of Nonresident Fathers: Scale Development and Validation.

PubMed

Dyer, W Justin; Fagan, Jay; Kaufman, Rebecca; Pearson, Jessica; Cabrera, Natasha

2017-11-16

This study reports on the development and validation of the Fatherhood Research and Practice Network coparenting perceptions scale for nonresident fathers. Although other measures of coparenting have been developed, this is the first measure developed specifically for low-income, nonresident fathers. Focus groups were conducted to determine various aspects of coparenting. Based on this, a scale was created and administered to 542 nonresident fathers. Participants also responded to items used to examine convergent and predictive validity (i.e., parental responsibility, contact with the mother, father self-efficacy and satisfaction, child behavior problems, and contact and engagement with the child). Factor analyses and reliability tests revealed three distinct and reliable perceived coparenting factors: undermining, alliance, and gatekeeping. Validity tests suggest substantial overlap between the undermining and alliance factors, though undermining was uniquely related to child behavior problems. The alliance and gatekeeping factors showed strong convergent validity and evidence for predictive validity. Taken together, results suggest this relatively short measure (11 items) taps into three coparenting dimensions significantly predictive of aspects of individual and family life. © 2017 Family Process Institute.

Observed and Reported Supportive Coparenting as Predictors of Infant-Mother and Infant-Father Attachment Security

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Geoffrey L.; Schoppe-Sullivan, Sarah J.; Mangelsdorf, Sarah C.; Neff, Cynthia

2010-01-01

This study examined associations between supportive coparenting and infant-mother and infant-father attachment security. Observed and parent-reported coparenting, and observed maternal and paternal sensitivity were assessed in a sample of 68 families with 3.5-month-old infants. Infant-mother and infant-father attachment security were assessed in…

Do Coparenting and Social Support Have a Greater Effect on Adolescent Fathers than Adult Fathers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fagan, Jay; Lee, Yookyong

2011-01-01

This study examined whether coparenting support and social support had a stronger effect on father engagement with 3-year-olds among adolescent fathers compared with adult fathers. Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 1,540), we found that coparenting support and paternal social support had a significantly stronger…

Coparenting Conflict and Academic Readiness in Children of Teen Mothers: Effortful Control as a Mediator.

PubMed

Jahromi, Laudan B; Zeiders, Katharine H; Updegraff, Kimberly A; Umaña-Taylor, Adriana J; Bayless, Sara Douglass

2017-04-24

Children's exposure to coparenting conflict has important implications for their developmental functioning, yet limited work has focused on such processes in families with diverse structures or ethnically and culturally diverse backgrounds. This longitudinal study examined the processes by which Mexican-origin adolescent mothers' coparenting conflict with their 3-year-old children's grandmothers and biological fathers (N = 133 families) were linked to children's academic and social skills at 5 years of age, and whether children's effortful control at 4 years of age mediated the link between coparenting conflict and indices of children's academic readiness. Findings revealed that adolescent mothers' coparenting conflict with their child's biological father was linked to indices of children's academic and social school readiness through children's effortful control among girls, but not boys, whereas conflict with grandmothers was directly linked to boys' and girls' social functioning 2 years later. Findings offer information about different mechanisms by which multiple coparenting units in families of adolescent mothers are related to their children's outcomes, and this work has important implications for practitioners working with families of adolescent mothers. © 2017 Family Process Institute.

Coparental Identity and Mothers' Cooperation in Coparental Relationships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Markham, Melinda S.; Ganong, Lawrence H.; Coleman, Marilyn

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relations between divorced mothers' (N= 196) coparental role identity and their perceptions of how cooperatively they coparent. Data were gathered by questionnaires mailed to mothers who had participated in a court-mandated divorce education program. Using structural equation modeling, it was…

Relational conflict and outcomes from an online divorce education program.

PubMed

Cronin, Sarah; Becher, Emily H; McCann, Ellie; McGuire, Jenifer; Powell, Sharon

2017-06-01

The impact of conflict on co-parenting outcomes of divorce education programs is not widely explored in the literature despite the prevalence of conflict in divorce. This study used outcome data from a sample of participants (N=272) who took the online Parents Forever™ course between 2012 and 2014. Participants were asked questions about positive and negative co-parenting behaviors as well their levels of conflict before and after the divorce or separation. There was on average a slight increase in conflict from post to follow-up (M=-0.397, SD=1.54). Simple linear regression analyses indicated that change in conflict explained a significant proportion of the variance in positive co-parenting scores, R 2 =0.07, F(1, 270)=19.98, p<0.001 and negative co-parenting scores, R 2 =0.08, F(1, 270)=23.78, p<0.001. Results suggest that conflict significantly impacts co-parenting behaviors targeted in the Parents Forever ™ course. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The role of co-parenting alliance as a mediator between trait anxiety, family system maladjustment, and parenting stress in a sample of non-clinical Italian parents

PubMed Central

Delvecchio, Elisa; Sciandra, Andrea; Finos, Livio; Mazzeschi, Claudia; Riso, Daniela Di

2015-01-01

This study investigated the role of co-parenting alliance in mediating the influence of parents’ trait anxiety on family system maladjustment and parenting stress. A sample of 1606 Italian parents (803 mothers and 803 fathers) of children aged one to 13 years completed measures of trait anxiety (State Trait Anxiety Inventory—Y), co-parenting alliance (Parenting Alliance Measure), family system maladjustment (Family Assessment Measure—III), and parenting stress (Parenting Stress Inventory—Short Form). These variables were investigated together comparing two structural equations model-fitting including both partners. A model for both mothers and fathers was empirically devised as a series of associations between parent trait anxiety (independent variable), family system maladjustment and parenting stress (dependent variables), mediated by co-parenting alliance, with the insertion of cross predictions between mothers and fathers and correlations between dependent variables for both parents. Results indicated that the relation between mothers and fathers’ trait anxiety, family system maladjustment and parenting stress was mediated by the level of co-parenting alliance. Understanding the role of couples’ co-parenting alliance could be useful during the family assessment and/or treatment, since it is an efficient and effective tool to improve the family system maladjustment and stress. PMID:26347674

The role of co-parenting alliance as a mediator between trait anxiety, family system maladjustment, and parenting stress in a sample of non-clinical Italian parents.

PubMed

Delvecchio, Elisa; Sciandra, Andrea; Finos, Livio; Mazzeschi, Claudia; Riso, Daniela Di

2015-01-01

This study investigated the role of co-parenting alliance in mediating the influence of parents' trait anxiety on family system maladjustment and parenting stress. A sample of 1606 Italian parents (803 mothers and 803 fathers) of children aged one to 13 years completed measures of trait anxiety (State Trait Anxiety Inventory-Y), co-parenting alliance (Parenting Alliance Measure), family system maladjustment (Family Assessment Measure-III), and parenting stress (Parenting Stress Inventory-Short Form). These variables were investigated together comparing two structural equations model-fitting including both partners. A model for both mothers and fathers was empirically devised as a series of associations between parent trait anxiety (independent variable), family system maladjustment and parenting stress (dependent variables), mediated by co-parenting alliance, with the insertion of cross predictions between mothers and fathers and correlations between dependent variables for both parents. Results indicated that the relation between mothers and fathers' trait anxiety, family system maladjustment and parenting stress was mediated by the level of co-parenting alliance. Understanding the role of couples' co-parenting alliance could be useful during the family assessment and/or treatment, since it is an efficient and effective tool to improve the family system maladjustment and stress.

Coparenting after marital dissolution and children's mental health: a systematic review.

PubMed

Lamela, Diogo; Figueiredo, Bárbara

2016-01-01

Research has shown that coparenting is a vital family mechanism in predicting mental health in children and adolescents. Considering the increasing prevalence of marital dissolution in Western societies, the objective of this systematic review was to summarize the key results of empirical studies that tested the association between mental health of children and coparenting after marital dissolution. The studies were obtained from three databases (PsycInfo, PubMed, and Web of Knowledge), published between January 2000 and October 2014. The titles, abstracts, and key words of the generated citations were independently reviewed by two investigators to consensually select the articles that met the inclusion criteria. Articles that used psychometrically valid tools to measure at least one mental health indicator and at least one dimension of coparenting in samples with divorced parents were included in the review. Of the 933 screened articles, 11 met the inclusion criteria. Significant positive associations were found between coparental conflict and behavioral problems and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and somatization. Significant positive associations were also found between other specific dimensions of coparenting (coparental support, cooperation, and agreement), overall mental health, self-esteem, and academic performance. The integrated analysis of these studies suggests that coparenting is a key mechanism within the family system for the prediction of child mental health after marital dissolution, and thus, it is recommended that pediatricians, psychologists, and other health professionals consider coparenting as a psychosocial variable for children's mental health assessment and diagnosis. Copyright © 2016 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Household chaos, sociodemographic risk, coparenting, and parent-infant relations during infants' first year.

PubMed

Whitesell, Corey J; Teti, Douglas M; Crosby, Brian; Kim, Bo-Ram

2015-04-01

Household chaos is a construct often overlooked in studies of human development, despite its theoretical links with the integrity of individual well-being, family processes, and child development. The present longitudinal study examined relations between household chaos and well-established correlates of chaos (sociodemographic risk, major life events, and personal distress) and several constructs that, to date, are theoretically linked with chaos but never before assessed as correlates (quality of coparenting and emotional availability with infants at bedtime). In addressing this aim, we introduce a new measure of household chaos (the Descriptive In-home Survey of Chaos--Observer ReporteD, or DISCORD), wholly reliant on independent observer report, which draws from household chaos theory and prior empirical work but extends the measurement of chaos to include information about families' compliance with a home visiting protocol. Household chaos was significantly associated with socioeconomic risk, negative life events, less favorable coparenting, and less emotionally available bedtime parenting, but not with personal distress. These findings emphasize the need to examine household chaos as a direct and indirect influence on child and family outcomes, as a moderator of intervention attempts to improving parenting and child development, and as a target of intervention in its own right. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Predicting Preschoolers' Attachment Security from Parenting Behaviours, Parents' Attachment Relationships and Their Use of Social Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coyl, Diana D.; Newland, Lisa A.; Freeman, Harry

2010-01-01

Associations between preschoolers' attachment security, parenting behaviours (i.e. parent-child involvement, parenting consistency and co-parenting consistency) and parenting context (i.e. parents' internal working models (IWMs) and use of social support) were examined in a sample of 235 culturally diverse families. The authors predicted that…

Spillover Effects of Marital Conflict: In Search of Parenting and Coparenting Mechanisms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katz, Lynn Fainsilber; Gottman, John M.

1996-01-01

Examines correlates of marital hostility and husband withdrawal behavior patterns, and their impact on the functioning of mother-child, father-child, and mother-father relationships when children are 5 years old. Describes models linking mothering and fathering to later internalizing and externalizing behavior when children are age 8, identifying…

Breast-feeding Coparenting Framework: A New Framework to Improve Breast-feeding Duration and Exclusivity.

PubMed

Abbass-Dick, Jennifer; Dennis, Cindy-Lee

Targeting mothers and fathers in breast-feeding promotion programs is recommended as research has found that father's support positively impacts breast-feeding duration and exclusivity. Breast-feeding coparenting refers to the manner in which parents work together to achieve their breast-feeding goals. The Breast-feeding Coparenting Framework was developed on the basis of diverse coparenting models and research related to father's involvement with breast-feeding. This framework consists of 5 components: joint breast-feeding goal setting, shared breast-feeding responsibility, proactive breast-feeding support, father's/partner's parental-child interactions, and productive communication and problem solving. This framework may be of value to policy makers and program providers working to improve breast-feeding outcomes.

Intimate Partner Violence and Coparenting across the Transition to Parenthood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kan, Marni L.; Feinberg, Mark E.; Solmeyer, Anna R.

2012-01-01

Intimate partner violence (IPV) between parents has been linked to negative parenting and child maladjustment, yet the mechanisms underlying this association are not fully understood. Based on a theory that violence among parents disrupts the coparental alliance--which has been linked to parenting quality and child adjustment--the authors examined…

The Influence of Fathers on Young Children's Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pruett, Kyle D.

2012-01-01

Kyle D. Pruett, MD, clinical professor of child psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine, responds to questions about the importance of engaging men in the lives of children. Dr. Pruett discusses how men parent differently than women; how mothers and fathers can effectively co-parent; the impact of parenting on the marital relationship; and the…

A Prenatal Coparenting Intervention With Unmarried Father-Mother Dyads: Fidelity of Intervention Delivery by Male-Female Community Mentor Teams.

PubMed

Salman-Engin, Selin; Little, Tara; Gaskin-Butler, Vikki; McHale, James P

2017-06-01

Most prenatal preventive interventions for unmarried mothers do not integrate fathers or help the parents plan for the development of a functional coparenting alliance after the baby's arrival. Furthermore, properly trained professionals have only rarely examined the fidelity of these interventions. This report examines whether experienced community interventionists (home visitors, health educators, fatherhood service personnel) with no formal couples' therapy training are capable of pairing together to deliver with adequate fidelity a manualized dyadic intervention designed for expectant unmarried mothers and fathers. Three male and four female mentors (home visitors, health educators, fatherhood personnel) working in paired male-female co-mentor teams delivered a seven-session "Figuring It Out for the Child" curriculum (six prenatal sessions, one booster) to 14 multirisk, unmarried African American families (parent age ranging from 14 to 40). Parental well-being and views of fatherhood were assessed before the intervention and again 3 months after the baby's birth. Quality assurance analysts evaluated mentor fidelity (adherence to the curriculum, competence in engaging couples with specified curricular content) through a review of the transcripts and audiotapes from the sessions. Mentors also rated their own adherence. Although the mentors overestimated adherence, quality assurance analyst ratings found acceptable levels of adherence and competence, with no significant male-female differences in fidelity. Adherence and competence were marginally higher in sessions that required fewer direct couples' interventions. Parents reported satisfaction with the interventions and showed statistically significant improvement in the family dimensions of interest at 3-4 months posttreatment. Findings support the wisdom of engaging men both as interventionists and as recipients of prenatal coparenting interventions-even in families where the parents are uncoupled and non-co-residential.

Parents' Relative Socioeconomic Status and Paternal Involvement in Chinese Families: The Mediating Role of Coparenting.

PubMed

Liu, Chang; Wu, Xinchun; Zou, Shengqi

2016-01-01

This study examined the mediating role of coparenting in the association between differences/similarities in paternal and maternal socioeconomic status (SES) and paternal involvement in Chinese families. The sample included 244 couples with children aged 3-7 years. Fathers and mothers reported their individual incomes, educational levels, occupations, and coparenting behavior (measured using the Coparenting Scale), and fathers completed the Father Involvement Questionnaire. Structural equation modeling was performed to examine the associations between SES and paternal involvement. Results suggested that SES indicator measures were outcome specific. Occupational differences/similarities were associated with paternal involvement indirectly, via fathers' family integrity practices. Income and educational differences/similarities did not affect paternal involvement. The results suggested that the traditional Chinese view that "men are chiefly responsible for activity in society, while women are responsible for the home" has faded.

Grandmothers raising grandchildren: family structure and well-being in culturally diverse families.

PubMed

Goodman, Catherine; Silverstein, Merril

2002-10-01

This study addressed well-being of grandmothers raising grandchildren in coparenting and custodial households in a sample of African American, Latino, and White grandmothers. A sample of 1,058 grandmothers was recruited through the schools and media. Grandmothers raising or helping to raise school-aged grandchildren in Los Angeles were interviewed, and analyses were conducted within ethnic groups. African American grandmothers experienced equal well-being in coparenting and custodial families; however, if the stresses related to the parents' problems were removed by statistical control, they favored the custodial arrangement. Latino grandmothers had greater well-being in coparenting families, reflecting a tradition of intergenerational living. White custodial grandmothers experienced somewhat higher levels of affect (positive and negative) but showed no difference in other types of well-being. The cultural lens through which grandparenthood is viewed has a marked impact on the adaptation to custodial or coparenting family structures.

Looking for Solutions: Gender Differences in Relationship and Parenting Challenges Among Low-Income, Young Parents

PubMed Central

Albritton, Tashuna; Angley, Meghan; Grandelski, Valen; Hansen, Nathan; Kershaw, Trace

2015-01-01

The need for parenting and relationship strengthening programs is important among low-income minority parents where the burden of relational and parental stressors contributes to relationship dissolution. We examine these stressors among young parents. Data were collected from four focus groups (N = 35) with young parents. Data were audio-recorded and transcribed. Inductive coding was used to generate themes and codes, and analysis was completed using NVivo. Relationship and parenting challenges, values, and areas of need were the three major themes that emerged. Women's relationship challenges were family interference and unbalanced parenting, and men reported feeling disrespected and having limited finances. Common relationship challenges for women and men were family interference and unbalanced parenting. Both genders valued trust, communication, and honesty in relationships. Areas of need for women and men included: improving communication and understanding the impact of negative relationships on current relationships. Parenting challenges for women were unbalanced parenting, child safety, and feeling unprepared to parent; men reported limited finances. Both genders valued quality time with child to instill family morals. Areas of need for women and men included learning child discipline techniques and increasing knowledge about child development. Finally, women and men have relationship and parenting similarities and differences. Young parents are interested in learning how to improve relationships and co-parent to reduce relationship distress, which could reduce risk behaviors and improve child outcomes. PMID:24980026

Parenting of Men with Co-Occurring Intimate Partner Violence and Substance Abuse

PubMed Central

Stover, Carla Smith; Easton, Caroline; McMahon, Thomas J.

2013-01-01

Objective No studies to date have compared parenting behaviors of men with co-occurring intimate partner violence (IPV) and substance abuse (SA) with community controls. This study was designed to document mediators of differences in parenting behavior of fathers and the emotional-behavioral problems of their children for men with co-occurring SA and IPV. Method The self-reported parenting (negative, positive and co-parenting behaviors) and the child emotional-behavioral problems of 43 fathers with children aged 2 to 6 years with a recent history of SA + IPV were compared to a sample of 43 community control fathers with the same socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. Fathers completed measures on their parenting behavior with a target child, co-parenting behavior with the child’s mother, emotion regulation, romantic attachment, psychiatric symptoms, and the behavior of the target child. Results Men with co-occurring SA + IPV had significantly less positive co-parenting and more negative parenting behaviors than community control fathers. Negative parenting and co-parenting were mediated by the fathers’ avoidant attachment problems. SA + IPV fathers also reported more emotional and behavioral problems in their children. These poor child outcome differences between groups were mediated by the negative parenting behaviors of the fathers. Conclusions These results suggest areas of potential focus in interventions with fathers who have co-occurring SA + IPV issues. Focus on attachment difficulties with his co-parent, which may include affect regulation, coping with emotions, and communication skills training related to co-parenting, may yield significant changes in parenting behaviors and ultimately child functioning. PMID:23422845

A Longitudinal Study of Parental Depressive Symptoms and Coparenting in the First 18 Months.

PubMed

Tissot, Hervé; Favez, Nicolas; Ghisletta, Paolo; Frascarolo, France; Despland, Jean-Nicolas

2017-06-01

Although the negative impact of postpartum depression on parenting behaviors has been well established-albeit separately-for mothers and fathers, the respective and joint impact of both parents' mood on family-group interactive behaviors, such as coparenting support and conflict behaviors between the parents, have not yet been investigated. The aim of this study was to examine the association between parental depressive symptoms and coparenting behaviors in a low-risk sample of families with infants, exploring reciprocity between the variables, as well as gender differences between mothers and fathers regarding these links. At 3 (T1), 9 (T2), and 18 months postpartum (T3), we assessed both parents' depressive symptoms with a self-report questionnaire and observed coparenting support and conflict during triadic mother-father-child interactions. The results revealed that higher maternal depressive symptoms at T1 were associated with lower support at T1 and T2. Conflict at T3 was associated with higher maternal depressive symptoms at T3 and, more surprisingly, with less depressive symptoms in mothers at T2 and fathers at T3. Cross-lagged associations suggested that parental depressive symptoms were more likely to influence coparenting than the reverse. Moreover, maternal depressive symptoms were more likely to be linked to coparenting behaviors than were paternal depressive symptoms. These results confirm that parental-mostly maternal-depressive symptoms, even of mild intensity, may jeopardize the development of healthy family-level relations, which previous research has shown to be crucial for child development. © 2016 Family Process Institute.

Practitioner Review: Engaging fathers – recommendations for a game change in parenting interventions based on a systematic review of the global evidence

PubMed Central

Panter-Brick, Catherine; Burgess, Adrienne; Eggerman, Mark; McAllister, Fiona; Pruett, Kyle; Leckman, James F

2014-01-01

Background Despite robust evidence of fathers’ impact on children and mothers, engaging with fathers is one of the least well-explored and articulated aspects of parenting interventions. It is therefore critical to evaluate implicit and explicit biases manifested in current approaches to research, intervention, and policy. Methods We conducted a systematic database and a thematic hand search of the global literature on parenting interventions. Studies were selected from Medline, Psychinfo, SSCI, and Cochrane databases, and from gray literature on parenting programs, using multiple search terms for parent, father, intervention, and evaluation. We tabulated single programs and undertook systematic quality coding to review the evidence base in terms of the scope and nature of data reporting. Results After screening 786 nonduplicate records, we identified 199 publications that presented evidence on father participation and impact in parenting interventions. With some notable exceptions, few interventions disaggregate ‘father’ or ‘couple’ effects in their evaluation, being mostly driven by a focus on the mother–child dyad. We identified seven key barriers to engaging fathers in parenting programs, pertaining to cultural, institutional, professional, operational, content, resource, and policy considerations in their design and delivery. Conclusions Barriers to engaging men as parents work against father inclusion as well as father retention, and undervalue coparenting as contrasted with mothering. Robust evaluations of father participation and father impact on child or family outcomes are stymied by the ways in which parenting interventions are currently designed, delivered, and evaluated. Three key priorities are to engage fathers and coparenting couples successfully, to disaggregate process and impact data by fathers, mothers, and coparents, and to pay greater attention to issues of reach, sustainability, cost, equity, and scale-up. Clarity of purpose with respect to gender-differentiated and coparenting issues in the design, delivery, and evaluation of parenting programs will constitute a game change in this field. PMID:24980187

Black Adolescent Mothers’ Perspectives on Sex and Parenting in Non-marital Relationships with the Biological Fathers of their Children

PubMed Central

Nelson, LaRon E.; Morrison-Beedy, Dianne; Kearney, Margaret H.; Dozier, Ann

2013-01-01

Objective The objective of this study was to understand single Black adolescent mothers’ perspectives on the sexual and parenting related aspects of their relationships with the biological fathers of their children. Methods The study was a qualitative description of perspectives from a convenience sample of Black single (non married) adolescent mothers. Data were generated through focus groups and interviews. Participants were recruited using self-referral and health provider referrals. Setting The study was conducted in a county public health department sexually transmitted diseases clinic in Rochester, New York. Participants Single mothers (n=31) ages 15–19 participated in the study. The mean age of participants was 17.5 years (SD 1.4). Findings Four themes were identified that reflected the major characteristics of the relationships between the mothers and the biological fathers of their children: (1) You will always care about your baby daddy because of your child, (2) Negative behavior is tolerated to keep the family together, (3) The baby daddy can get sex as long as we are not on bad terms, and (4) He will always be part of our life. Conclusion Black adolescent mothers have complex relationships with the biological fathers of their children that may include ongoing sexual activity. The intersection of co-parenting and sexual health needs among adolescent mothers highlights the importance of integrating sexually transmitted infections prevention with perinatal health programs. It is important to consider this unique co-parenting relationship when providing risk-reduction counseling to young mothers. PMID:22834723

Black adolescent mothers' perspectives on sex and parenting in nonmarital relationships with the biological fathers of their children.

PubMed

Nelson, LaRon E; Morrison-Beedy, Dianne; Kearney, Margaret H; Dozier, Ann

2012-01-01

To understand single Black adolescent mothers' perspectives on the sexual and parenting-related aspects of their relationships with the biological fathers of their children. The study was a qualitative description of perspectives from a convenience sample of Black single (nonmarried) adolescent mothers. Data were generated through focus groups and interviews. Participants were recruited using self-referral and health provider referrals. The study was conducted in a county public health department sexually transmitted diseases clinic in Rochester, New York. Single mothers (N = 31) ages 15 to 19 participated in the study. The mean age of participants was 17.5 years (SD = 1.4). Four themes were identified that reflected the major characteristics of the relationships between the mothers and the biological fathers of their children: (a) You will always care about your "baby daddy" because of your child, (b) Negative behavior is tolerated to keep the family together, (c) The "baby daddy" can get sex as long as we are not on bad terms, and (d) He will always be part of our lives. Black adolescent mothers have complex relationships with the biological fathers of their children that may include ongoing sexual activity. The intersection of coparenting and sexual health needs among adolescent mothers highlights the importance of integrating sexually transmitted infections prevention with perinatal health programs. It is important to consider this unique coparenting relationship when providing risk-reduction counseling to young mothers. © 2012 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.

The Desire of Parenthood: Intuitive Co-parental Behaviors and Quality of Couple Relationship among Italian and Belgian Same-Sex and Opposite-Sex Couples

PubMed Central

Miscioscia, Marina; Blavier, Adelaide; Pagone, Paolo R.; Simonelli, Alessandra

2017-01-01

Studies that focused on family issues have allowed a great understanding of the aspects related to its subsystems, such as parenting desire and its expectations, couples’ satisfaction and quality of child’s outcomes. All these aspects are greatly interconnected and contribute to the creation of specific family dynamics, such as the quality of family interactions. The present study focuses on intuitive co-parental behaviors and the quality of couple relationship observed during the decision process (intention and desire) to be (or become) parents. Our first goal was to explore these aspects in a cross-national sample made of Italian and Belgian heterosexual, lesbian and gay couples. We then aimed to evaluate if the degree of internalized homophobia affects co-parental alliance. The quality of couple relationship and co-parental behaviors have been evaluated through the recruitment of a group of 115 stable heterosexual, gay and lesbian couples (230 individuals, 20–50 years of age) without children, who wanted to become parents. We used the Prenatal Lausanne Trilogue Play to evaluate the Co-parental Alliance; the couple’s satisfaction was assessed with the Dyadic Adjustment Scale and the Internalized Homophobia with the MISS-LG. In line with the existent literature, the analysis did not find any difference between lesbian, gay and heterosexual couples in terms of co-parental alliance. High levels of couple adjustment lead to better parental performances among both Italian and Belgian couples. The results suggest also that sexual stigma differs from one country to another, and it has an impact on the capability of managing co-parenting. Clinical implications should be verified in further longitudinal studies in order to observe the impact on the inter-generational transmission of psychopathology. PMID:28261120

Looking for solutions: gender differences in relationship and parenting challenges among low-income, young parents.

PubMed

Albritton, Tashuna; Angley, Meghan; Grandelski, Valen; Hansen, Nathan; Kershaw, Trace

2014-12-01

The need for parenting and relationship strengthening programs is important among low-income minority parents where the burden of relational and parental stressors contributes to relationship dissolution. We examine these stressors among young parents. Data were collected from four focus groups (N = 35) with young parents. Data were audio-recorded and transcribed. Inductive coding was used to generate themes and codes, and analysis was completed using NVivo. Relationship and parenting challenges, values, and areas of need were the three major themes that emerged. Women's relationship challenges were family interference and unbalanced parenting, and men reported feeling disrespected and having limited finances. Common relationship challenges for women and men were family interference and unbalanced parenting. Both genders valued trust, communication, and honesty in relationships. Areas of need for women and men included: improving communication and understanding the impact of negative relationships on current relationships. Parenting challenges for women were unbalanced parenting, child safety, and feeling unprepared to parent; men reported limited finances. Both genders valued quality time with child to instill family morals. Areas of need for women and men included learning child discipline techniques and increasing knowledge about child development. Finally, women and men have relationship and parenting similarities and differences. Young parents are interested in learning how to improve relationships and co-parent to reduce relationship distress, which could reduce risk behaviors and improve child outcomes. © 2014 Family Process Institute.

Toddlers' Differential Susceptibility to the Effects of Coparenting on Social-Emotional Adjustment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Altenburger, Lauren E.; Lang, Sarah N.; Schoppe-Sullivan, Sarah J.; Kamp Dush, Claire M.; Johnson, Susan

2017-01-01

The paper reports on a study which tested whether infants high in negative affectivity are differentially susceptible to observed coparenting behavior in relation to their subsequent social-emotional development. Data came from a longitudinal study of 182 US dual-earner, primiparous couples and their infant children. At nine-months postpartum,…

Coparenting and Father Involvement in Married and Unmarried Coresident Couples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hohmann-Marriott, Bryndl

2011-01-01

Children can benefit from involved fathers and cooperative parents, a benefit which may be particularly important to the growing population of children born to unmarried parents. This study observes father involvement and coparenting in 5,407 married and unmarried cohabiting couples with a 2-year-old child in the Early Childhood Longitudinal…

Implications of New Marriages and Children for Coparenting in Nonresident Father Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGene, Juliana; King, Valarie

2012-01-01

Prior research has noted that although cooperative coparenting between resident and nonresident parents is beneficial to children, this form of shared parenting is relatively uncommon. Relying on nationally representative data from two waves of the National Survey of Families and Households (N = 628), this study examines the importance of…

Conflict Resolution Strategies Adopted from Parenting Coordination: Assisting High-Conflict Coparenting Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henry, Wilma J.; Mitcham, Michelle A.; Henry, Lynette M.

2013-01-01

This article examines the challenges faced by nontraditional college students who are coparents as a result of divorce. The need for college counseling centers to have counseling options designed to assist this special population in successfully completing their academic pursuits is presented. Conflict resolution techniques based on the Parenting…

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Divorced Mothers' Experiences with Coparenting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Markham, Melinda Stafford; Coleman, Marilyn

2012-01-01

This study produces a grounded theory of how 20 predominantly White, well-educated women experienced sharing physical custody of their children with their former partners after divorce or separation. Three patterns of coparenting were identified in the data: "continuously contentious", "always amicable", and "bad to better". Five negative factors…

Practitioner review: Engaging fathers--recommendations for a game change in parenting interventions based on a systematic review of the global evidence.

PubMed

Panter-Brick, Catherine; Burgess, Adrienne; Eggerman, Mark; McAllister, Fiona; Pruett, Kyle; Leckman, James F

2014-11-01

Despite robust evidence of fathers' impact on children and mothers, engaging with fathers is one of the least well-explored and articulated aspects of parenting interventions. It is therefore critical to evaluate implicit and explicit biases manifested in current approaches to research, intervention, and policy. We conducted a systematic database and a thematic hand search of the global literature on parenting interventions. Studies were selected from Medline, Psychinfo, SSCI, and Cochrane databases, and from gray literature on parenting programs, using multiple search terms for parent, father, intervention, and evaluation. We tabulated single programs and undertook systematic quality coding to review the evidence base in terms of the scope and nature of data reporting. After screening 786 nonduplicate records, we identified 199 publications that presented evidence on father participation and impact in parenting interventions. With some notable exceptions, few interventions disaggregate 'father' or 'couple' effects in their evaluation, being mostly driven by a focus on the mother-child dyad. We identified seven key barriers to engaging fathers in parenting programs, pertaining to cultural, institutional, professional, operational, content, resource, and policy considerations in their design and delivery. Barriers to engaging men as parents work against father inclusion as well as father retention, and undervalue coparenting as contrasted with mothering. Robust evaluations of father participation and father impact on child or family outcomes are stymied by the ways in which parenting interventions are currently designed, delivered, and evaluated. Three key priorities are to engage fathers and coparenting couples successfully, to disaggregate process and impact data by fathers, mothers, and coparents, and to pay greater attention to issues of reach, sustainability, cost, equity, and scale-up. Clarity of purpose with respect to gender-differentiated and coparenting issues in the design, delivery, and evaluation of parenting programs will constitute a game change in this field. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Marital Quality Spillover and Young Children's Adjustment: Evidence for Dyadic and Triadic Parenting as Mechanisms.

PubMed

Stroud, Catherine B; Meyers, Kathryn M; Wilson, Sylia; Durbin, C Emily

2015-01-01

Research has evidenced support for the spillover model, which posits that parents' marital functioning influences child adjustment by eroding parenting and coparenting in dyadic (mother-child and father-child) and triadic (mother-father-child) contexts. However, prior work has not simultaneously investigated dyadic and triadic parenting as mechanisms of spillover. Furthermore, although evidence indicates that the marital system affects child adjustment by influencing parents' behavior, research has not explored whether child behaviors in parent-child interactions also serve as mechanisms. To address these gaps, we examined the spillover model using observational measures of parent and child behavior in parent-child dyadic interactions as well as coparenting in triadic interactions. We also explored parent and child gender differences in spillover effects. Participants were families with children 3 to 6 years of age (n=149; 62% Caucasian). Findings indicated that marital functioning influences child adjustment by disrupting parent-child interactions in dyadic and triadic contexts, although results differed by child/parent gender and outcome examined. First, children's responsiveness to their mothers emerged as a significant mechanism of spillover effects for boys' internalizing and girls' externalizing behavior. Second, for girls and boys, marital functioning was indirectly related to children's internalizing and externalizing behavior through reductions in coparenting warmth. Finally, there was little evidence that parent gender moderated the indirect effect of dyadic parenting, except that child responsiveness to mothers (vs. to fathers) was more strongly related to child adjustment. These findings underscore the need for interventions targeting dyadic and triadic parent-child interactions in the face of marital distress.

Marital Quality Spillover and Young Children's Adjustment: Evidence for Dyadic and Triadic Parenting as Mechanisms

PubMed Central

Stroud, Catherine B.; Meyers, Kathryn M.; Wilson, Sylia; Durbin, C. Emily

2018-01-01

Research has evidenced support for the spillover model, which posits that parents' marital functioning influences child adjustment by eroding parenting and coparenting in dyadic (mother–child and father–child) and triadic (mother–father–child) contexts. However, prior work has not simultaneously investigated dyadic and triadic parenting as mechanisms of spillover. Furthermore, although evidence indicates that the marital system affects child adjustment by influencing parents' behavior, research has not explored whether child behaviors in parent–child interactions also serve as mechanisms. To address these gaps, we examined the spillover model using observational measures of parent and child behavior in parent–child dyadic interactions as well as coparenting in triadic interactions. We also explored parent and child gender differences in spillover effects. Participants were families with children 3 to 6 years of age (n = 149; 62% Caucasian). Findings indicated that marital functioning influences child adjustment by disrupting parent–child interactions in dyadic and triadic contexts, although results differed by child/parent gender and outcome examined. First, children's responsiveness to their mothers emerged as a significant mechanism of spillover effects for boys' internalizing and girls' externalizing behavior. Second, for girls and boys, marital functioning was indirectly related to children's internalizing and externalizing behavior through reductions in coparenting warmth. Finally, there was little evidence that parent gender moderated the indirect effect of dyadic parenting, except that child responsiveness to mothers (vs. to fathers) was more strongly related to child adjustment. These findings underscore the need for interventions targeting dyadic and triadic parent–child interactions in the face of marital distress. PMID:24819587

Families Apart: Ten Keys to Successful Co-Parenting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blau, Melinda

Many researchers have cited the trauma of divorce as being second only to that incurred by the death of child. Yet divorce does not mean the end of a family or of parenting responsibilities. This book focuses on co-parenting and how real divorced parents attempt to make a "family apart" function successfully. The stories and quotes were…

Relations between Coparenting and Father Involvement in Families with Preschool-Age Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jia, Rongfang; Schoppe-Sullivan, Sarah J.

2011-01-01

A sample (N = 112) composed primarily of European American and middle-class two-parent families with a resident father and a 4-year-old child (48% girls) participated in a longitudinal study of associations between coparenting and father involvement. At the initial assessment and 1 year later, fathers reported on their involvement in play and…

Aggravation and Stress in Parenting: Associations with Coparenting and Father Engagement among Resident Fathers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bronte-Tinkew, Jacinta; Horowitz, Allison; Carrano, Jennifer

2010-01-01

This study uses a sample of 2,139 resident biological fathers from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing surveys (baseline and 12-month follow-up), to examine whether paternal aggravation and stress in parenting is associated with father engagement and coparenting and whether this association differs by father's socioeconomic status. Results of…

Family-Level Coparenting Processes and Child Gender as Moderators of Family Stress and Toddler Adjustment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kolak, Amy M.; Vernon-Feagans, Lynne

2008-01-01

The goal of this multi-method study was to examine how child gender and coparenting processes influence associations between family stress and toddlers' social adjustment. The participants, 104 dual-earner couples and their 2-year-old children, were videotaped in their home during a freeplay activity. Mothers and fathers completed questionnaires…

Positive Parenting of Young Adolescents by Male Cohabiting Partners: The Roles of Coparenting Conflict and Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forehand, Rex; Parent, Justin; Golub, Andrew; Reid, Megan

2016-01-01

Fathers have often been ignored in the parenting literature. The current study focused on male cohabiting partners (MCPs) who can serve as "social stepfathers" and examined the association of coparent support and conflict with their positive parenting behavior (i.e., acceptance, firm control, and monitoring) of adolescents. Participants…

The Role of Mothers' and Fathers' Parental Control and Coparenting in Toddlers' Compliance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kwon, Kyong-Ah; Elicker, James G.

2012-01-01

Research Findings: This study examined the unique and relative contributions of mothers' and fathers' parental control and coparenting to toddlers' committed compliance with parents in both dyadic parent-child and triadic family play contexts. Sixty-eight mostly middle-class, 2-parent families with toddlers (16-37 months) were observed in a…

Violated Wishes About Division of Childcare Labor Predict Early Coparenting Process During Stressful and Nonstressful Family Evaluations.

PubMed

Khazan, Inna; McHale, James P; Decourcey, Wendy

2008-01-01

Prior research has indicated that expectant parents overestimate the extent to which fathers will take part in the "work" of parenting, with mothers often becoming disenchanted when these expectations are violated following the baby's arrival. In this study, we examine the role of violated wishes concerning childcare involvement in accounting for variability in maternal and paternal marital satisfaction, and in early coparenting behavior as assessed during family-interaction sessions. The results indicate possible negative effects of violated wishes on the enacted family process and confirm previous findings regarding the effects of marital satisfaction. In addition, we uncovered differences in the way that violated maternal wishes are related to coparenting during playful and mildly stressful family interactions.

Parenting changes in adults with cancer.

PubMed

Moore, Cynthia W; Rauch, Paula K; Baer, Lee; Pirl, William F; Muriel, Anna C

2015-10-01

Children whose parents have cancer are at risk for psychosocial difficulties; however, the mechanisms are not well understood. This cross-sectional study sought support for a model connecting parental cancer to child distress through its impact on parenting self-efficacy beliefs and parenting behaviors by examining relations among parental illness, quality of life/parent functioning, parenting efficacy beliefs, and concerns about children's emotional distress. One hundred ninety-four adult oncology outpatients with children who were 18 years old or younger completed questionnaires assessing their health-related quality of life (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General), depression and anxiety symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), overall distress (Distress Thermometer), and parenting efficacy beliefs and parenting concerns (Parenting Concerns Questionnaire). Parenting efficacy scores for parents and coparents declined significantly after diagnosis. This decline correlated with more visits to a medical clinic, treatment with intravenous chemotherapy in the past month, poorer health-related quality of life, and more depression and distress. Parents experiencing the most concern about the impact of mood, physical limitations, and changes in routines on their children experienced the biggest declines in their own sense of efficacy as parents and in their belief in their coparent's efficacy. Finally, declines in parenting efficacy beliefs correlated with parental concerns about children's emotional distress about aspects of the parent's illness. This study highlights the importance of identifying and addressing parenting concerns to alleviate patient distress, and it may help to guide future intervention efforts. © 2015 American Cancer Society.

Deeper Into Divorce: Using Actor–Partner Analyses to Explore Systemic Differences in Coparenting Conflict Following Custody Dispute Resolution

PubMed Central

Sbarra, David A.; Emery, Robert E.

2010-01-01

Divorce is an inherently interpersonal experience, yet too often adults’ reactions to marital dissolution are investigated as intrapersonal experiences that unfold outside of the relational context in which they exist. This article examines systemic patterns of interpersonal influence between divorced parents who were randomly assigned to either mediate or litigate a child custody dispute in the mid-1980s. Reports of coparenting conflict and nonacceptance of the divorce were assessed 5 weeks after the dispute settlement, 13 months after the settlement, and then again 12 years later. One hundred nine (N = 109) parents provided data over this 12-year period. Fathers reported the highest initial levels of conflict when their ex-partners were more accepting of the divorce. Mediation parents reported decreases in coparenting conflict in the year after dispute settlement, whereas litigation parents reported increases in conflict. Litigation parents evidenced the greatest long-term increases and decreases in coparenting conflict. Mediation is a potent force for reducing postdivorce conflict, and this article highlights the usefulness of adopting a systemic lens for understanding the long-term correlates of marital dissolution. PMID:18266541

Violated Wishes About Division of Childcare Labor Predict Early Coparenting Process During Stressful and Nonstressful Family Evaluations

PubMed Central

Khazan, Inna; Mchale, James P.; Decourcey, Wendy

2009-01-01

Prior research has indicated that expectant parents overestimate the extent to which fathers will take part in the “work” of parenting, with mothers often becoming disenchanted when these expectations are violated following the baby’s arrival. In this study, we examine the role of violated wishes concerning childcare involvement in accounting for variability in maternal and paternal marital satisfaction, and in early coparenting behavior as assessed during family-interaction sessions. The results indicate possible negative effects of violated wishes on the enacted family process and confirm previous findings regarding the effects of marital satisfaction. In addition, we uncovered differences in the way that violated maternal wishes are related to coparenting during playful and mildly stressful family interactions. PMID:19768138

Improvements in Unmarried African American Parents' Rapport, Communication, and Problem-Solving Following a Prenatal Coparenting Intervention.

PubMed

McHale, James P; Salman-Engin, Selin; Coovert, Michael D

2015-12-01

This report examines effects of a coparenting intervention designed for and delivered to expectant unmarried African American mothers and fathers on observed interaction dynamics known to predict relationship adjustment. Twenty families took part in the six-session "Figuring It Out for the Child" (FIOC) dyadic intervention offered in a faith-based human services agency during the third trimester of the mother's pregnancy, and completed a postpartum booster session 1 month after the baby's arrival. Parent referrals for the FIOC program were received from a county Health Department and from OBGYNs and Pregnancy Centers in the targeted community. All intervention sessions were delivered by a trained male-female paraprofessional team whose fidelity to the FIOC manualized curriculum was independently evaluated by a team of trained analysts. At both the point of intake ("PRE") and again at an exit evaluation completed 3 months postpartum ("POST"), the mothers and fathers were videotaped as they completed two standardized "revealed differences" conflict discussions. Blinded videotapes of these sessions were evaluated using the System for Coding Interactions in Dyads. Analyses documented statistically significant improvements on 8 of 12 variables examined, with effect sizes ranging from moderate to large. Overall, 14 families demonstrated beneficial outcomes, 3 did not improve, and 3 showed some signs of decline from the point of intake. For most interaction processes, PRE to POST improvements were unrelated to degree of adherence the paraprofessional interventionists showed to the curriculum. However, better interventionist competence was related to decreases in partners' Coerciveness and Negativity and Conflict, and to smaller increases in partner Withdrawal. Implications of the work for development and delivery of community-based coparenting interventions for unmarried parents are discussed. © 2015 Family Process Institute.

FROM ME TO US: THE CONSTRUCTION OF FAMILY ALLIANCE.

PubMed

Galdiolo, Sarah; Roskam, Isabelle

2016-01-01

This longitudinal prospective and multi-informant study based on a three-wave research program (pregnancy, 12 months' postpartum, and 16 months' postpartum) aimed to determine the process of construction of family alliance, as assessed by the Lausanne Trilogue Play (Fivaz-Depeursinge & Corboz-Warnery, 1999). A model using parents' individual characteristics (i.e., personality traits and attachment orientations) as distal variables, coparenting as a mediator, child's temperament as a moderator, and family alliance as outcome was tested using structural equation modeling on 62 nonreferred families. Results showed that both parents' conscientiousness was positively and mothers' avoidant attachment and fathers' anxious attachment were negatively and indirectly (via coparenting) associated with the family alliance. The discussion underlines mothers' and fathers' different roles and the importance of coparenting as a core mechanism in the development of family alliance. © 2015 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

Transactional relations between father involvement and preschoolers' socioemotional adjustment.

PubMed

Jia, Rongfang; Kotila, Letitia E; Schoppe-Sullivan, Sarah J

2012-12-01

Children's socioemotional development is child as well as parent driven. Yet, transactional frameworks are rarely applied to studies of father-child relations. This study examined reciprocal associations between father involvement in play and caregiving and children's adjustment and tested supportive coparenting behavior as a moderator of these associations. One hundred twelve families participated in a 1-year longitudinal study. Fathers reported on their involvement and mothers and teachers reported on preschoolers' behavior at two time points, and supportive coparenting behavior was observed at the second time point. Results showed that father involvement in play predicted relative decreases in externalizing behaviors, and also relative decreases in internalizing behaviors and relative increases in social competence at school only when accompanied by supportive coparenting behavior; reciprocally, fathers showed relative reductions in their play with children initially high in internalizing behaviors perceived by teachers. Father involvement in caregiving predicted relative increases in children's internalizing behaviors, but reciprocal effects indicated that these associations may be driven by children. The presence of reciprocal associations between father involvement and child behaviors that differed for play and caregiving domains and were moderated by supportive coparenting behavior suggests the importance of a transactional, domain-specific, and systemic approach to understanding father-child relations and the implementation of relevant intervention practices. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

Pilot Study of a Program to Increase Mothers' Understanding of Dads.

PubMed

Fagan, Jay; Cherson, Mollie; Brown, Christopher; Vecere, Eric

2015-12-01

The present study evaluated the effects of mothers' participation in an 8-week coparenting intervention program, Understanding Dad™, on mothers' awareness and attitudes regarding how their relationships with fathers influence paternal involvement with children, knowledge of healthy pro-relationship skills, and relationship self-efficacy. Thirty-four mothers were recruited from four sites to participate in a study that used a pretest/posttest one-group design. Over the course of this 8-week program, mothers demonstrated moderate to large gains in each of the outcome measures, after controlling for mothers' educational level. Moreover, there was one significant within-subjects interaction effect for time × location. That is, mothers made significantly greater gains in pro-relationship knowledge in one of the intervention sites. Implications for future research are discussed. © 2015 Family Process Institute.

Divorce: Using Psychologists' Skills for Transformation and Conflict Reduction.

PubMed

Zimmerman, Jeffrey

2016-05-01

The litigious divorce process often leaves children with parents who are at "war" and have little ability to coparent effectively. This article discusses some of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) processes designed to lessen conflict both before and after divorce. It also addresses the important work of psychologists serving in the roles of child therapists and reunification clinicians doing the difficult work of helping to heal fractured child-parent relationships. Ethical challenges are addressed and future directions for applied research are suggested. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Person-environment fit: everyday conflict and coparenting conflict in Mexican-origin teen mother families.

PubMed

Derlan, Chelsea L; Umaña-Taylor, Adriana J; Toomey, Russell B; Updegraff, Kimberly A; Jahromi, Laudan B

2015-01-01

The current study examined whether a match or mismatch between teen mothers' cultural orientation and the cultural context of the family (i.e., familial ethnic socialization) predicted mother-daughter everyday and coparenting conflict, and in turn, teen mothers' adjustment. Participants were 204 Mexican-origin teen mothers (M age = 16.81 years; SD = 1.00). Consistent with a person-environment fit perspective, findings indicated that a mismatch between teen mothers' cultural orientation (i.e., high mainstream cultural involvement) and the cultural context of the family (i.e., higher levels of familial ethnic socialization) predicted greater mother-daughter everyday conflict and coparenting conflict 1 year later. However, when there was a match (i.e., high levels of familial ethnic socialization for teen mothers with high Mexican orientation), familial ethnic socialization was not associated with mother-daughter conflict. In addition, mother-daughter conflict was positively associated with depressive symptoms and engagement in risky behaviors 1 year later among all teen mothers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Bringing baby home together: examining the impact of a couple-focused intervention on the dynamics within family play.

PubMed

Shapiro, Alyson F; Nahm, Eun Young; Gottman, John M; Content, Kristi

2011-07-01

The transition to parenthood brings with it challenges to a couple's relationship, which in turn are likely to negatively impact coparenting and overall family process. The focus of the current study was to examine the effects of the Bringing Baby Home psycho-educational intervention at the first postintervention follow-up for promoting positive coparenting and family process within the mother-father-baby family system. Expectant parents (N = 181) were recruited from the greater Seattle area to participate in a longitudinal random clinical trials study. Families were randomly assigned to a control, workshop, or workshop plus support group. Observational coding indexed both parent and baby contribution to family interaction during the Lausanne Triadic Play procedure. Principal components analysis was used to create summary factors describing the family play. Results of intent-to-treat analyses indicated that the Bringing Baby Home program was successful in promoting less competition during family play. There also was an effect of workshop timing, suggesting that fathers who took the workshop prebirth were less likely to exhibit intrusiveness during mother-baby focused play than those who received it postbirth. Implications for promoting the formation of positive family-level relations are discussed. © 2011 American Orthopsychiatric Association.

Reconsidering the "Good Divorce"

PubMed

Amato, Paul R; Kane, Jennifer B; James, Spencer

2011-12-01

This study attempted to assess the notion that a "good divorce" protects children from the potential negative consequences of marital dissolution. A cluster analysis of data on postdivorce parenting from 944 families resulted in three groups: cooperative coparenting, parallel parenting, and single parenting. Children in the cooperative coparenting (good divorce) cluster had the smallest number of behavior problems and the closest ties to their fathers. Nevertheless, children in this cluster did not score significantly better than other children on 10 additional outcomes. These findings provide only modest support for the good divorce hypothesis.

Reconsidering the “Good Divorce”

PubMed Central

Amato, Paul R.; Kane, Jennifer B.; James, Spencer

2011-01-01

This study attempted to assess the notion that a “good divorce” protects children from the potential negative consequences of marital dissolution. A cluster analysis of data on postdivorce parenting from 944 families resulted in three groups: cooperative coparenting, parallel parenting, and single parenting. Children in the cooperative coparenting (good divorce) cluster had the smallest number of behavior problems and the closest ties to their fathers. Nevertheless, children in this cluster did not score significantly better than other children on 10 additional outcomes. These findings provide only modest support for the good divorce hypothesis. PMID:22125355

Family-level Coparenting Processes and Child Gender as Moderators of Family Stress and Toddler Adjustment

PubMed Central

Kolak, Amy M.; Vernon-Feagans, Lynne

2009-01-01

The goal of this multi-method study was to examine how child gender and coparenting processes influence associations between family stress and toddlers’ social adjustment. The participants, 104 dual-earner couples and their 2-year-old children, were videotaped in their home during a freeplay activity. Mothers and fathers completed questionnaires about stress in their roles as partners, workers, and parents and their child’s social–emotional adjustment. Consistent with previous research, higher levels of family stress were associated with poorer adjustment for children. Family harmony, represented by warmth and cooperation, was significantly associated with fewer internalizing problems for children even when family stress was considered. Conversely, coparental banter or ‘playful humour’ between parents moderated the nature of the association between family stress and children’s adjustment. Banter between parents was especially protective for girls suggesting that, even in families with toddler-aged children, gender plays an important role in family-level coparenting processes. Future research needs to consider more fully the impact that child characteristics, such as gender, have on the interplay between the family context and children’s development. PMID:19907670

Family-level Coparenting Processes and Child Gender as Moderators of Family Stress and Toddler Adjustment.

PubMed

Kolak, Amy M; Vernon-Feagans, Lynne

2008-01-01

The goal of this multi-method study was to examine how child gender and coparenting processes influence associations between family stress and toddlers' social adjustment. The participants, 104 dual-earner couples and their 2-year-old children, were videotaped in their home during a freeplay activity. Mothers and fathers completed questionnaires about stress in their roles as partners, workers, and parents and their child's social-emotional adjustment. Consistent with previous research, higher levels of family stress were associated with poorer adjustment for children. Family harmony, represented by warmth and cooperation, was significantly associated with fewer internalizing problems for children even when family stress was considered. Conversely, coparental banter or 'playful humour' between parents moderated the nature of the association between family stress and children's adjustment. Banter between parents was especially protective for girls suggesting that, even in families with toddler-aged children, gender plays an important role in family-level coparenting processes. Future research needs to consider more fully the impact that child characteristics, such as gender, have on the interplay between the family context and children's development.

Fathers’ Participation in Parenting and Maternal Parenting Stress: Variation by Relationship Status

PubMed Central

Nomaguchi, Kei; Brown, Susan L.; Leyman, Tanya M.

2015-01-01

The growing diversity in mother-father relationship status has led to a debate over the role of fathers in parenting. Little is known, however, about how fathers’ participation in parenting is linked to maternal well-being across different mother-father relationship statuses. Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 2,062), fixed-effects as well as random-effects regression models show that overall fathers’ engagement with children and sharing in child-related chores are negatively related to maternal parenting stress. Fathers’ cooperative coparenting is negatively related to maternal parenting stress only in the random-effects model, suggesting that the association is driven by selection factors. There is little variation in these associations by mother-father relationship status, once selection factors are controlled for. These findings extend support for the current cultural emphasis on benefits of fathers’ active participation in parenting for mothers and children even after the mother-father relationship dissolved. PMID:28479649

Couple-Focused Prevention at the Transition to Parenthood, a Randomized Trial: Effects on Coparenting, Parenting, Family Violence, and Parent and Child Adjustment.

PubMed

Feinberg, Mark E; Jones, Damon E; Hostetler, Michelle L; Roettger, Michael E; Paul, Ian M; Ehrenthal, Deborah B

2016-08-01

The transition to parenthood is a stressful period for most parents as individuals and as couples, with variability in parent mental health and couple relationship functioning linked to children's long-term emotional, mental health, and academic outcomes. Few couple-focused prevention programs targeting this period have been shown to be effective. The purpose of this study was to test the short-term efficacy of a brief, universal, transition-to-parenthood intervention (Family Foundations) and report the results of this randomized trial at 10 months postpartum. This was a randomized controlled trial; 399 couples expecting their first child were randomly assigned to intervention or control conditions after pretest. Intervention couples received a manualized nine-session (five prenatal and four postnatal classes) psychoeducational program delivered in small groups. Intent-to-treat analyses indicated that intervention couples demonstrated better posttest levels than control couples on more than two thirds of measures of coparenting, parent mental health, parenting, child adjustment, and family violence. Program effects on family violence were particularly large. Of eight outcome variables that did not demonstrate main effects, seven showed moderated intervention impact; such that, intervention couples at higher levels of risk during pregnancy showed better outcomes than control couples at similar levels of risk. These findings replicate a prior smaller study of Family Foundations, indicating that the Family Foundations approach to supporting couples making the transition to parenthood can have broad impact for parents, family relationships, and children's adjustment. Program effects are consistent and benefit all families, with particularly notable effects for families at elevated prenatal risk.

Relations Between Parent Psychopathology, Family Functioning, and Adolescent Problems In Substance-Abusing Families: Disaggregating the Effects of Parent Gender

PubMed Central

Burstein, Marcy; Stanger, Catherine; Dumenci, Levent

2015-01-01

The present study: (1) examined relations between parent psychopathology and adolescent internalizing problems, externalizing problems, and substance use in substanceabusing families; and (2) tested family functioning problems as mediators of these relations. Structural equation modeling was used to estimate the independent effects of parent psychopathology and family functioning problems by parent gender. Participants included 242 parents in treatment for substance abuse and/or dependence and 59 of their coparents (16.9% in treatment for substance-abuse/dependence) from middle income households (SES: M = 4.7; SD = 2.1). Ratings were obtained for 325 adolescents (48% female; 27.8% non-Caucasian) between the ages of 10 and 18 years (M = 13.5 years; SD = 2.5 years). Parent psychopathology, family functioning problems, and adolescent problems were assessed with parent and coparent ratings on the Symptom Checklist (SCL-90)/Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), the Family Relationship Measure, and the Child Behavior Checklist, respectively. Results indicated that maternal psychopathology was directly related to adolescent internalizing problems and substance use, but maternal perceptions of family functioning problems failed to mediate relations between maternal psychopathology and adolescent problems. By contrast, paternal perceptions of family functioning problems uniquely mediated relations between paternal psychopathology and adolescent externalizing problems. Findings underscore the importance of examining how mothers and fathers may differentially impact adolescent problems in substance-abusing families. PMID:22392413

Marital, parental, and whole-family predictors of toddlers' emotion regulation: The role of parental emotional withdrawal.

PubMed

Gallegos, Martin I; Murphy, Sarah E; Benner, Aprile D; Jacobvitz, Deborah B; Hazen, Nancy L

2017-04-01

The present study aims to address how dyadic and triadic family interactions across the transition to parenthood contribute to the later development of toddlers' adaptive emotion regulation using structural equation modeling methods. Specifically, we examined the interrelations of observed marital negative affect before childbirth, parents' emotional withdrawal during parent-infant interactions at 8 months, and coparenting conflict at 24 months as predictors of toddlers' adaptive emotion regulation at 24 months. Data for the present study were drawn from a longitudinal dataset in which 125 families were observed across the transition to parenthood. Results suggested that prenatal marital negativity predicted mothers' and fathers' emotional withdrawal toward their infants at 8 months postbirth as well as coparenting conflict at 24 months postbirth. Coparenting conflict and father-infant emotional withdrawal were negatively associated with toddlers' adaptive emotion regulation; however, mother-infant emotional withdrawal was not related. The implications of our study extend family systems research to demonstrate how multiple levels of detrimental family functioning over the first 2 years of parenthood influence toddlers' emotion regulation and highlight the importance of fathers' emotional involvement with their infants. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Are the Fathers Alright? A Systematic and Critical Review of Studies on Gay and Bisexual Fatherhood

PubMed Central

Carneiro, Francis A.; Tasker, Fiona; Salinas-Quiroz, Fernando; Leal, Isabel; Costa, Pedro A.

2017-01-01

The purpose of the present systematic and critical review was to assess the findings and to identify the gaps in the literature concerning gay and bisexual fathers. A comprehensive search of relevant literature using electronic databases and reference lists for articles published until December 2016 was conducted. A total of 63 studies, spanning from 1979 to 2016, were collected. More than half of the studies were published after 2011 and the overwhelming majority were conducted in the United States. Nine themes were identified in the studies reviewed: (1) Pathways to fatherhood; (2) Motivations for fatherhood; (3) Parenting experiences and childrearing; (4) Family life and relationship quality; (5) Gender and father identities and gender-role orientation; (6) Disclosure of sexual identity; (7) Social climate; (8) Father's psychosocial adjustment; and (9) Children's psychosocial adjustment. It was found that research on gay fatherhood appears to be more heterogeneous than on lesbian motherhood, perhaps because of the variety of pathways to parenthood (via co-parenting, adoption, fostering, or surrogacy). Two-father families are becoming more visible in research on sexual minority parenting and gradually transforming the conceptualization of parenting in family research. PMID:28983272

Democratic Parenting Beliefs and Observed Parental Sensitivity: Reciprocal Influences Between Coparents

PubMed Central

Schofield, Thomas; Weaver, Jennifer

2016-01-01

Three hundred and sixty-five two-parent families from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development were rated by trained observers on their parenting behavior at six assessments ranging from six months after the child's birth to when the child was in fifth grade (M = 10.4 years old at fifth grade). Across assessments, parents reported on their parenting beliefs and mothers reported on the child's externalizing behavior problems. Parenting beliefs predicted change in parenting behavior, and to a lesser degree parenting behavior predicted change in parenting beliefs. Parenting behavior and parenting beliefs both showed reciprocal effects between coparents, after controlling for child externalizing behavior and parent education. PMID:26551656

Factors associated with relationship dissolution and post-dissolution adjustment among lesbian adoptive couples.

PubMed

Farr, Rachel H

2017-01-02

Same-sex adoptive couples are increasingly visible, yet few studies have addressed relationship stability and dissolution among these couples. In this study, using a theoretical framework based on Investment Models and Vulnerability-Stress-Adaptation Theory, factors associated with dissolution and post-dissolution adjustment among 27 lesbian adoptive couples were examined across two points. At Wave 1, all 27 couples were together; children were on average 3 years old. Results revealed that nearly one third broke up over 5 years (between Waves 1 and 2). Factors related to shorter relationship length and undermining coparenting at Wave 1 distinguished women who later broke up versus stayed together. Worse mental health at Wave 2 characterized women in dissolved rather than sustained relationships, even with comparable individual adjustment at Wave 1. Weaker parenting alliance and greater dissatisfaction with childcare divisions were reported by women no longer with their partners at Wave 2 as compared with those in enduring partnerships. This research has implications for understanding lesbian relationship dynamics and associations with individual adjustment.

Sharing motherhood: maternal jealousy among lesbian co-mothers.

PubMed

Pelka, Suzanne

2009-01-01

Previous research has not adequately addressed how gay and lesbian couples emotionally negotiate unequal biological ties to their children. Because each co-parent has the potential to be their child's biological parent and because same-sex couples highly value relationship equality, unequal biological ties to children may cause feelings of jealousy between co-parents. To counter this, increasing numbers of lesbian couples have been using in-vitro fertilization (IVF) to biologically co-mother, using the eggs of one partner and the womb of the other. While hardly common, this strategy can affect the emotional dynamics between the co-mothers and their children. This article explores how variables common to many lesbian-led families (including method of conception) may contribute to or protect against jealousy. Presented data comes from an 18-month ethnographic study of 30 lesbian-led families with young children living in a major northeastern city. Ten couples adopted infants, 10 couples used assisted insemination (AI), and 10 couples used IVF to biologically co-mother. Lesbians' use of IVF to co-mother has not been previously studied. Methods included in-depth interviews, participant observation, and self-administered questionnaires. Couples who adopted or used IVF reported less jealousy than couples who conceived using AI. Factors that correlate with the likelihood of experiencing maternal jealousy include both partners wanting to be a birth mother, perceptions of unequal biological ties to children, and infertility. Professionals serving lesbian co-mothers should be sensitive to the presence and absence of the above factors.

Fathers' Needs and Masculinity Dilemmas in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Denmark

PubMed Central

Ammentorp, Jette; Fenger-Gron, Jesper; Kofoed, Poul-Erik; Johannessen, Helle; Thibeau, Shelley

2017-01-01

Background: Most healthcare professionals in neonatal intensive care units typically focus on the infants and mothers; fathers often feel powerless and find it difficult to establish a father-child relationship. In family-centered healthcare settings, exploring fathers' experiences and needs is important because men's roles in society, especially as fathers, are changing. Purpose: To describe fathers' needs when their infants are admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit and to discuss these needs within a theoretical framework of masculinity to advance understanding and generate meaningful knowledge for clinical practices. Methods: This qualitative study used participant observation, interviews, multiple sequential interviews, and a focus group discussion. Data were analyzed using grounded theory principles. Results: Analysis of the fathers' needs generated 2 primary themes: (1) Fathers as caregivers and breadwinners and (2) fathers and emotions. Fathers wished to be involved and to take care of their infants but have to balance cultural and social norms and expectations of being breadwinners with their wishes to be equal coparents. Implications for Practice/Research: Health professionals in neonatal intensive care units must be aware of fathers' need and desire to be equal coparents. Nurses should play a key role by, for example, showing that fathers are as important to their infants as are the mothers, helping them become involved in childcare, and ensuring that they are directly informed about their children's progress. Further research in other cultural settings would contribute to knowledge regarding fatherhood and the role of fathers in childcare. PMID:28749826

Fathers' Needs and Masculinity Dilemmas in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Denmark.

PubMed

Noergaard, Betty; Ammentorp, Jette; Fenger-Gron, Jesper; Kofoed, Poul-Erik; Johannessen, Helle; Thibeau, Shelley

2017-08-01

Most healthcare professionals in neonatal intensive care units typically focus on the infants and mothers; fathers often feel powerless and find it difficult to establish a father-child relationship. In family-centered healthcare settings, exploring fathers' experiences and needs is important because men's roles in society, especially as fathers, are changing. To describe fathers' needs when their infants are admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit and to discuss these needs within a theoretical framework of masculinity to advance understanding and generate meaningful knowledge for clinical practices. This qualitative study used participant observation, interviews, multiple sequential interviews, and a focus group discussion. Data were analyzed using grounded theory principles. Analysis of the fathers' needs generated 2 primary themes: (1) Fathers as caregivers and breadwinners and (2) fathers and emotions. Fathers wished to be involved and to take care of their infants but have to balance cultural and social norms and expectations of being breadwinners with their wishes to be equal coparents. Health professionals in neonatal intensive care units must be aware of fathers' need and desire to be equal coparents. Nurses should play a key role by, for example, showing that fathers are as important to their infants as are the mothers, helping them become involved in childcare, and ensuring that they are directly informed about their children's progress. Further research in other cultural settings would contribute to knowledge regarding fatherhood and the role of fathers in childcare.

Differential association of family subsystem negativity on siblings' maladjustment: using behavior genetic methods to test process theory.

PubMed

Feinberg, Mark E; Reiss, David; Neiderhiser, Jenae M; Hetherington, E Mavis

2005-12-01

This study investigated the family context of adolescent sibling similarity and differentiation in maladjustment (antisocial behavior and depression) by examining negativity in different subsystems. Two hypotheses were proposed: (1) Parental and sibling negativity tends to diffuse through the family system, especially because of the high level of reciprocity in sibling relationships, leading to sibling similarity; and (2) interparental (coparenting) conflict disrupts cohesive functioning and thereby motivates and facilitates sibling differentiation and niche picking. To control for the effects of similar genes between siblings, the authors used behavioral genetic models with a genetically informed sample of 720 two-parent families, each with at least 2 adolescent siblings. Results for the differences in shared environmental influences across groups high and low in each of the domains of family negativity provided partial support for the hypotheses. The results further understanding of influences on individual differences and support a theory of how parent-child and interparental relationships intersect with sibling relationship dynamics. Copyright 2006 APA, all rights reserved).

Not a "mom thing": Predictors of gatekeeping in same-sex and heterosexual parent families.

PubMed

Sweeney, Kristin K; Goldberg, Abbie E; Garcia, Randi L

2017-08-01

The current study is the first to examine parental gatekeeping in both same-sex (57 female, 51 male) and heterosexual (n = 82) couples, all of whom became parents via adoption. Aspects of the individual, the couple, and the work context, measured preadoption, were examined as predictors of gatekeeping. Gatekeeping refers to attitudes and behaviors aimed at regulating and limiting the involvement of the other parent in housework and child care and was measured 2 years postadoption. Findings revealed that women in heterosexual relationships reported higher gatekeeping compared with all other groups, and men in same-sex relationships reported higher gatekeeping compared with women in same-sex relationships and men in heterosexual relationships. Across the full sample, lower job autonomy predicted higher gatekeeping in both housework and child care, whereas greater relationship ambivalence, greater perceived parenting skill, and lower perceived partner parenting skill predicted higher gatekeeping in child care. Findings provide insight into how gatekeeping behaviors and beliefs are enacted in diverse types of couples and suggest that work factors should be taken into account when conducting research on, and seeking to improve, coparenting relationships. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Grandparents' entitlements and obligations.

PubMed

Draper, Heather

2013-07-01

In this article, it is argued that grandparents' obligations originate from parental obligations (i.e from the relationship they have with their children, the parents of their grandchildren) and not from the role of grandparent per se, and any entitlements flow from the extent to which these obligations are met. The position defended is, therefore, that grandparents qua grandparents are not entitled to form or continue relationships with their grandchildren. A continuation of grandparent-grandchildren relationships may be in the interests of children, but the grandparental nature of the relationship is not decisive. What counts is the extent to which relationships children have with any adults who are not their parents are is significant to them. Sometimes, however, grandparents become parents or co-parents of their grandchildren. They then gain parental rights, and as such are as entitled, ceteris parius, as any parent to expect their relationship with the child to continue. The issue of grandparents' entitlements can come to the fore when parents separate, and grandparents are unhappy with the access they have to their grandchildren. Grandparents' obligations may become a particular issue when parents die, struggle, or fail to care for their children. This article focuses particularly on these kinds of circumstances. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

GRANDPARENTS' ENTITLEMENTS AND OBLIGATIONS

PubMed Central

Draper, Heather

2013-01-01

In this article, it is argued that grandparents' obligations originate from parental obligations (i.e from the relationship they have with their children, the parents of their grandchildren) and not from the role of grandparent per se, and any entitlements flow from the extent to which these obligations are met. The position defended is, therefore, that grandparents qua grandparents are not entitled to form or continue relationships with their grandchildren. A continuation of grandparent-grandchildren relationships may be in the interests of children, but the grandparental nature of the relationship is not decisive. What counts is the extent to which relationships children have with any adults who are not their parents are is significant to them. Sometimes, however, grandparents become parents or co-parents of their grandchildren. They then gain parental rights, and as such are as entitled, ceteris parius, as any parent to expect their relationship with the child to continue. The issue of grandparents' entitlements can come to the fore when parents separate, and grandparents are unhappy with the access they have to their grandchildren. Grandparents' obligations may become a particular issue when parents die, struggle, or fail to care for their children. This article focuses particularly on these kinds of circumstances. PMID:23718643

Unique Family Living Situations

MedlinePlus

... on children of divorce. Co-parent with your ex-spouse to develop consistent routines for bedtime, meals, ... about the symptoms and cause of, and risk factors and treatments for, nasopharyngeal cancer. About Support Us ...

Sleep arrangements, parent-infant sleep during the first year, and family functioning

PubMed Central

Teti, Douglas M.; Shimizu, Mina; Crosby, Brian; Kim, Bo-Ram

2016-01-01

The present longitudinal study addressed the ongoing debate regarding the benefits and risks of infant-parent co-sleeping by examining associations between sleep arrangement patterns across the first year of life and infant and parent sleep, marital and family functioning, and quality of mothers’ behavior with infants at bedtime. Patterns of infant sleep arrangements across the infants’ first year were derived from information obtained from 139 families at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of infant age in a U.S., central Pennsylvanian sample. Linkages between these patterns and parent-infant sleep, marital and coparenting stress, and maternal behavior at bedtime (from video-recordings) were assessed. Compared to families whose infants were solitary sleepers by 6 months, persistent co-sleeping was associated with sleep disruption in mothers but not in infants, although mothers in persistent co-sleeping arrangements reported that their infants had more frequent night awakenings. Persistent co-sleeping was also associated with mother reports of marital and coparenting distress, and lower maternal emotional availability with infants at bedtime (from home observations). Persistent co-sleeping appeared to be a marker of, though not necessarily a cause of, heightened family stress, although the present design did not enable strong tests of causal processes, and results may be particular to cultures that are not supportive of co-sleeping. Findings are discussed in terms of cultural contexts of infant sleep and the need for further investigations into the role of the health of the family system in influencing how parents structure infant sleep. PMID:27389833

Divorce in the Kibbutz: lessons to be drawn.

PubMed

Kaffman, M

1993-03-01

The kibbutz in Israel constitutes one of the few places in Western culture where one is able to examine the essence of an "authentic emotional divorce" because of the minor role of factors that are extraneous to the disruption of the emotional marital attachment itself. This is the case because the kibbutz is a society that is based and functions upon principles that neutralize to a large extent the legal, economic, and co-parenting obstacles to a constructive divorce. Although there are significant differences in the severity of the postdivorce conflict, the divorce crisis is rather similar in kibbutz and non-kibbutz settings regarding both the quality of the emotional responses and the nature of the influencing factors--thus pointing to the ubiquitousness of the human condition.

Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy: Theoretical Background, Empirical Research, and Dissemination.

PubMed

Roddy, McKenzie K; Nowlan, Kathryn M; Doss, Brian D; Christensen, Andrew

2016-09-01

Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy (IBCT), developed by Drs. Andrew Christensen and Neil Jacobson, builds off the tradition of behavioral couple therapy by including acceptance strategies as key components of treatment. Results from a large randomized clinical trial of IBCT indicate that it yields large and significant gains in relationship satisfaction. Furthermore, these benefits have been shown to persist for at least 5 years after treatment for the average couple. Not only does IBCT positively impact relationship constructs such as satisfaction and communication, but the benefits of therapy extend to individual, co-parenting, and child functioning. Moreover, IBCT has been shown to operate through the putative mechanisms of improvements in emotional acceptance, behavior change, and communication. IBCT was chosen for nationwide training and dissemination through the Veteran Affairs Medical Centers. Furthermore, the principles of IBCT have been translated into a web-based intervention for distressed couples, OurRelationship.com. IBCT is continuing to evolve and grow as research and technologies allow for continued evaluation and dissemination of this well-supported theoretical model. © 2016 Family Process Institute.

Father-Inclusive Perinatal Parent Education Programs: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Lee, Joyce Y; Knauer, Heather A; Lee, Shawna J; MacEachern, Mark P; Garfield, Craig F

2018-06-14

Fathers contribute to their children's health starting at the beginning of life. Few parent education programs include fathers. Among those that do, there is little effort to report program effects on father outcomes. In this systematic review, we examined father-inclusive perinatal parent education programs in the United States as they relate to a range of father outcomes. The databases searched were PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Embase, Ovid Medline, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and PsycINFO. Studies were included if they included an evaluation of a parent education program and a report of father outcomes measured within 1 year of the child's birth and were conducted within the United States. Of 1353 total articles, 21 met study criteria. The overall state of the father-inclusive perinatal parent education program literature was poor, with few interventions available to fathers. Available programs were associated with increased father involvement, coparenting relationship, partner relationship quality, father's mental health, and father's supportive behaviors. Program effects on father-infant interaction, parenting knowledge, and attitudes and parenting self-efficacy were inconclusive. Three programs emerged as best evidence-based interventions. Risk of bias was high for many studies. Outcome variability, small sample size, and publication bias contributed to the weak evidence base. There is a need for more evidence-based interventions to support fathers. Clinicians play a key role in engaging fathers in early parent education programs and health care settings. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42017050099. Copyright © 2018 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Complex topological structures of frustrated liquid crystals with potential for optics and photonics (Presentation Recording)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Žumer, Slobodan; Čančula, Miha; Čopar, Simon; Ravnik, Miha

2015-10-01

Geometrical constrains and intrinsic chirality in nematic mesophases enable formation of stable and metastable complex defect structures. Recently selected knotted and linked disclinations have been formed using laser manipulation of nematic braids entangling colloidal particles in nematic colloids [Tkalec et al., Science 2011; Copar et al., PNAS 2015]. In unwinded chiral nematic phases stable and metastable toron and hopfion defects have been implemented by laser tweezers [Smalyukh et al., Nature Materials 2010; Chen et al., PRL2013] and in chiral nematic colloids particles dressed by solitonic deformations [Porenta et al., Sci. Rep. 2014]. Modelling studies based on the numerical minimisation of the phenomenological free energy, supported with the adapted topological theory [Copar and Zumer, PRL 2011; Copar, Phys. Rep. 2014] allow describing the observed nematic defect structures and also predicting numerous structures in confined blue phases [Fukuda and Zumer, Nature Comms 2011 and PRL 2011] and stable knotted disclinations in cholesteric droplets with homeotropic boundary [Sec et al., Nature Comms 2014]. Coupling the modeling with finite difference time domain light field computation enables understanding of light propagation and light induced restructuring in these mesophases. The method was recently demonstrated for the description of low intensity light beam changes during the propagation along disclination lines [Brasselet et al., PRL 2009; Cancula et al., PRE 2014]. Allowing also high intensity light an order restructuring is induced [Porenta et al., Soft Matter 2012; Cancula et al., 2015]. These approaches help to uncover the potential of topological structures for beyond-display optical and photonic applications.

Social Support for Divorced Fathers' Parenting: Testing a Stress-Buffering Model*

PubMed Central

DeGarmo, David S.; Patras, Joshua; Eap, Sopagna

2008-01-01

A stress-buffering hypothesis for parenting was tested in a county-representative sample of 218 divorced fathers. Social support for parenting (emergency and nonemergency child care, practical support, financial support) was hypothesized to moderate effects of stress (role overload, coparental conflict, and daily hassles) on fathers’ quality parenting. No custody fathers relied more on relatives compared with custodial fathers, who relied more on new partners for parenting support. No differences by custody status were found on levels of support or parenting over time. Parenting support buffered effects of change in role overload and coparenting conflict on coercive parenting and buffered effects of change in daily hassles on prosocial parenting. Buffer effects were more predictive over time. Implications for practice and preventive intervention strategies are discussed. PMID:19177181

to Parenthood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schoppe-Sullivan, Sarah J.; Mangelsdorf, Sarah C.

2013-01-01

This study examined parent characteristics as correlates of coparenting behavior in 57 primiparous couples. Parents' negative emotionality and perceptions of maternal acceptance in childhood, mothers' beliefs about fathers' roles, and observed marital behavior and family socioeconomic status were assessed during the third trimester of pregnancy,…

Reconsidering the "Good Divorce"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amato, Paul R.; Kane, Jennifer B.; James, Spencer

2011-01-01

This study attempted to assess the notion that a "good divorce" protects children from the potential negative consequences of marital dissolution. A cluster analysis of data on postdivorce parenting from 944 families resulted in three groups: cooperative coparenting, parallel parenting, and single parenting. Children in the cooperative coparenting…

Parents behaving badly: Gender biases in the perception of parental alienating behaviors.

PubMed

Harman, Jennifer J; Biringen, Zeynep; Ratajack, Ellen M; Outland, Pearl L; Kraus, Allyson

2016-10-01

According to gender role theory, individuals who confirm expectations associated with their gender roles are rewarded and judged against these expectations when they deviate. Parental roles are strongly tied to gender, and there are very different expectations for behaviors of mothers and fathers. This study examined how mothers' and fathers' behaviors that support or discourage a positive relationship with the other parent are perceived in terms of their acceptability. Two-hundred twenty-eight parents completed an online survey assessing perceptions of acceptability of negative (parental alienating) and positive coparenting behaviors. Results provided support for our hypothesis: Although parental alienating behaviors were rated unacceptable, they were more acceptable for mothers than fathers. Expectancy violation theory can explain why parental alienating behaviors are not viewed as negatively when mothers exhibit them than fathers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

For the love of the children: the coming out process for lesbian and gay parents and stepparents.

PubMed

Lynch, J M; Murray, K

2000-01-01

This research investigated the coming out decision and process for 23 lesbian and gay custodial stepfamilies. We argue that lesbian and gay stepfamilies represent a unique type of family, distinct from heterosexual stepfamilies and from lesbian and gay families who have children within the context of a lesbian or gay relationship. The coming out process is one developmental challenge that distinguishes lesbian and gay stepfamilies from these other types. Through interviews with both lesbian and gay parents and stepparents we explored their coming out process to significant others: the children, families of origin and ex-spouses. We discuss those factors influencing the decision and the consequences that developed in light of these decisions. Findings show that the coming out process for lesbian and gay co-parents is a flexible and familial one, primarily influenced by and centered around the needs of the children.

Irritating and constricting/ elating and elastic-being "ex" as a lesbian.

PubMed

Day, Fe

2004-01-01

Abstract This article combines poetry and prose to discuss a range of ex-lovers: the ones where together a world is built and the ones who floated away.… Some are identified as troubling voices whose internalized critique is still experienced as significant and formative. The author explores in some depth an experience of co-parenting in which she was supported in her parenting of two sons by a lover who then gave birth to a daughter. These children in some ways identify themselves as a family, but there are also points of tension and discomfort. The dark and bright aspects of this particular ex-lover relationship are described. In addition, some characteristics of the world/home aimed for by this lesbian family are referred to, including such things as empowerment of all through group life, respect for physical labour, emotional intelligence, and sharing of resources.

More than One Way to Get There: Pathways of Change in Coparenting Conflict after a Preventive Intervention.

PubMed

Epstein, Kenneth; Pruett, Marsha Kline; Cowan, Philip; Cowan, Carolyn; Pradhan, Lisa; Mah, Elisabeth; Pruett, Kyle

2015-12-01

This study explored pathways of change in the levels of conflict couples experienced after Supporting Father Involvement, an evidence-based, prevention-oriented couples and parenting intervention that included a diverse low-income and working class group of participants. Pathways of change were examined for couples with baseline conflict scores that were initially low, medium, and high. The growth mixture model analysis found that the best-fitting model for change in couples' conflict was represented by three distinctly different change patterns. The intervention was most successful for High-Conflict couples. This finding contributes to a growing literature examining variations in how relationships change over time and the process of change, especially for couples in distress. This study supports further investigation into the impact and costs associated with universal interventions versus those that target specific groups of higher risk families. © 2015 Family Process Institute.

A Promising Parenting Intervention in Foster Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linares, L. Oriana; Montalto, Daniela; Li, MinMin; Oza, Vikash S.

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a 2-component intervention for biological and foster parent (pairs) to improve parenting practices, co-parenting, and child externalizing problems. Participants were biological and foster parents (N = 128) of primarily neglected children (ages 3 to 10 years) placed in regular foster…

Intimate Partner Violence, Parental Divorce, and Child Custody: Directions for Intervention and Future Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hardesty, Jennifer L.; Chung, Grace H.

2006-01-01

Joint custody and cooperative coparenting are often unsafe for women who leave violent partners. Although certain legal protections are available, more work is needed to understand and address abused women's needs in this context. This study provides divorce scholars and practitioners with information on the interface between separation/divorce…

How Do Parenting Concepts Vary within and between the Families?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roskam, Isabelle; Meunier, Jean Christophe

2009-01-01

How do parenting concepts vary within and between the families? The present study regards parenting as a complex family process by considering three concepts of parenting: styles, differential treatment and coparenting consistency. A main question was addressed: whether and how these parenting concepts vary within the families towards siblings or…

Addressing Coparenting in the Delivery of Psychological Services to Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Catherine M.; Hunsley, John

2006-01-01

In this article we highlight recent changes in fathers' roles and argue that research on parenting has focused disproportionately on the role of mothers. We then describe ways that fathers may be overlooked in psychological services providing parent training and summarize preliminary evidence that the inclusion of fathers may enhance long-term…

Better Parents, More Stable Partners: Union Transitions among Cohabiting Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClain, Lauren Rinelli

2011-01-01

Data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 1,702 couples) are employed to examine the association between mother- and father-reported parenting characteristics (father involvement and coparenting) and transitions out of cohabitation through marriage or separation in the 5 years after a child is born. Father involvement and…

Cultural Factors Moderating Links between Neighborhood Disadvantage and Parenting and Coparenting among Mexican Origin Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnett, Melissa A.; Mortensen, Jennifer A.; Gonzalez, Henry; Gonzalez, Jose-Michael

2016-01-01

Background: Mexican origin families with young children living in the United States are disproportionately likely to live in disadvantaged neighborhoods that may threaten engagement in positive parenting processes. However, the influences of contextual risks on family processes among Mexican origin families remain unclear. Objective: The goal of…

Influences on Infant Feeding: Perceptions of Mother-Father Parent Dyads.

PubMed

Majee, Wilson; Thullen, Matthew J; Davis, Alexandra N; Sethi, Tarunjot K

The purpose of this study was to examine interrelational-, organizational-, and community-level influences on how coparents collaborate about infant and toddler feeding. Using qualitative methods, we interviewed mother-father parent dyads to explore the potential influences on infant and toddler feeding. Participants were purposively recruited from two Midwest, rural, university-system pediatric clinics. Thematic analysis was used to code the data. Mother-father dyadic interviews were conducted using a semistructured interview schedule. Twenty-four mother-father dyads who had a child between the ages of 6 and 36 months were interviewed together. Major themes include interpersonal factors (peer behavior reinforcement, dyad and important others infant feeding conflict, conflict resolution proactiveness), organizational factors (healthcare provider infant-feeding support, workplace flexibility), and community factors (public perception on breastfeeding and social media influence). Community-based collaboration can be a platform for mother-father dyads, researchers, public health nurses, and other healthcare providers to proactively create interventions that include opportunity for building coparenting skills and infant-feeding knowledge that promote team management of common early childhood feeding challenges.

It Takes a Village-Taming High Conflict With the "2 PC Model".

PubMed

Behrman, Lauren

2016-05-01

Prolonged litigation frequently leaves once-married and functional parents unable to communicate effectively and coparent with each other. The damage can be even more profound for never-married parents without a history of ever functioning as life partners or parenting partners. High-conflict parents often enter into parenting coordination following litigation through stipulation or court order. For some parents, this modality fails to provide enough support and containment of conflict, and postjudgment litigation continues long after the initial divorce. A clinical case study illustrates the use of an experimental, alternative dispute-resolution intervention we call "the 2 Parenting Coordinator (PC) model." The 2 PC model evolved by applying the collaborative divorce 2-coach intervention to parenting coordination for a family in which traditional parenting coordination had twice failed. The case presented involved never-married parents, whose tenuous and mistrustful connection was threatening to contaminate the child's ability to have an emotionally secure relationship with her father. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A Review of Childrearing in African American Single Mother Families: The Relevance of a Coparenting Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Deborah J.; Zalot, Alecia A.; Foster, Sarah E.; Sterrett, Emma; Chester, Charlene

2007-01-01

Clinical research on African American single mother families has focused largely on mother-child dyads, with relatively less empirical attention to the roles of other adults or family members who often assist with childrearing. This narrow definition of "family" fails to take into account the extended family networks which often provide support…

Mothers' Perceptions of Neighborhood Violence and Mother-Reported Monitoring of African American Children: An Examination of the Moderating Role of Perceived Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Deborah J.; Forehand, Rex; O'Connell, Cara; Armistead, Lisa; Brody, Gene

2005-01-01

This prospective study examined the association between perceived neighborhood violence and maternal monitoring and the moderating role of 2 sources of social support (coparents and friends/neighbors) among low-income African American single mothers. Mothers' ratings of neighborhood violence were associated with monitoring both concurrently and…

Parent, partner, co-parent or partnership? The need for clarity as family systems thinking takes hold in the quest to motivate behavioural change.

PubMed

May, Chris; Chai, Li Kheng; Burrows, Tracy

2017-04-21

Research is increasingly pointing to the importance of extending the focus of childhood obesity intervention to include fathers, fathering figures, and other members of a child's primary parenting network. Advances in communication technology are now making it possible to achieve this aim, within current resources, using modalities such text messaging, web-based resources and apps that extend intervention to parents not in attendance at face to face interactions. However, published research is often unclear as to which parent/s they targeted or engaged with, whether interventions planned to influence behaviours and capabilities across family systems, and how this can be achieved. As childhood obesity research employing information technology to engage with family systems takes hold it is becoming important for researchers clearly describe who they engage with, what they hope to achieve with them, and the pathways of influence that they aim to activate. This paper integrates extant knowledge on family systems thinking, parenting efficacy, co-parenting, and family intervention with the way parents are represented and reported in childhood obesity research. The paper concludes with recommendations on terminology that can be used to describe parents and parenting figures in future studies.

Transactions within the family: Coparenting mediates associations between parents' relationship satisfaction and the parent-child relationship.

PubMed

Peltz, Jack S; Rogge, Ronald D; Sturge-Apple, Melissa L

2018-06-21

In the current study, we examined the potential for transactional relations among parents' marital satisfaction, coparental cooperation and conflict, and parent-child relationship satisfaction in a sample of 249 families with 2-3-year-old children. Using a novel multiwave design with frequent assessments to better capture transactional family processes, mothers and fathers were assessed across 5 waves with 2-month lags; mean age of the target children (53% girls) was 2.8 years ( SD = 0.62) at baseline. Cross-lagged, multilevel structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses using an actor-partner interdependence modeling framework revealed coparental cooperation and conflict as likely mechanisms within the family system. Specifically, marital satisfaction from both parents was reciprocally linked to fathers' coparental cooperation over time, supporting transactional links between those two family subsystems. In addition, there were significant transactional links between both mothers' and fathers' coparental cooperation and father-reported parent-child relationship satisfaction across time, revealing within-parent and cross-parent mediation. Regarding coparental conflict, marital satisfaction from both parents was reciprocally linked to the same parents' reports of coparental conflict across time (i.e., actor effects). Furthermore, father-reported coparental conflict acted as a mediating or intervening mechanism between father-reported marital satisfaction and mother-reported parent-child relationship satisfaction (cross-parent mediation). Taken as a set, the findings supported coparental cooperation and conflict as significant links between marital functioning and the parent-child relationship. Findings build on a growing body of literature addressing the transactional associations embedded within the family system and highlight the importance of modeling the inherent interdependencies between mothers' and fathers' reports of family functioning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Good Relations between Foster Parents and Birth Parents: A Swedish Study of Practices Promoting Successful Cooperation in Everyday Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hedin, Lena

2015-01-01

The importance for foster children's well-being of good relations between foster parents and birth parents is a common topic of research. This article aims to contribute to an understanding of how co-parenting by foster parents and birth parents works in everyday life, from both parties' perspectives, whether or not they knew each other…

Thinking 3 Rather than 2 + 1: How a Coparenting Framework Can Transform Infant Mental Health Efforts with Unmarried African American Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaskin-Butler, Vikki T.; McKay, Katherine; Gallardo, Gypsy; Salman-Engin, Selin; Little, Tara; McHale, James P.

2015-01-01

More than half of poor African American infants are born into "fragile families" and nearly half grow up in single-mother families with little or no father involvement. However, most prenatal interventions fail to help unmarried mothers talk and plan together with their baby's father, especially when fathers are nonresidential. This…

Fathering after military deployment: parenting challenges and goals of fathers of young children.

PubMed

Walsh, Tova B; Dayton, Carolyn J; Erwin, Michael S; Muzik, Maria; Busuito, Alexandra; Rosenblum, Katherine L

2014-02-01

Although often eagerly anticipated, reunification after deployment poses challenges for families, including adjusting to the parent-soldier's return, re-establishing roles and routines, and the potentially necessary accommodation to combat-related injuries or psychological effects. Fourteen male service members, previously deployed to a combat zone, parent to at least one child under seven years of age, were interviewed about their relationships with their young children. Principles of grounded theory guided data analysis to identify key themes related to parenting young children after deployment. Participants reported significant levels of parenting stress and identified specific challenges, including difficulty reconnecting with children, adapting expectations from military to family life, and coparenting. Fathers acknowledged regret about missing an important period in their child's development and indicated a strong desire to improve their parenting skills. They described a need for support in expressing emotions, nurturing, and managing their tempers. Results affirm the need for support to military families during reintegration and demonstrate that military fathers are receptive to opportunities to engage in parenting interventions. Helping fathers understand their children's behavior in the context of age-typical responses to separation and reunion may help them to renew parent-child relationships and reengage in optimal parenting of their young children.

Where are all the men? The marginalization of men in social scientific research on infertility.

PubMed

Culley, Lorraine; Hudson, Nicky; Lohan, Maria

2013-09-01

There is a wealth of research exploring the psychological consequences of infertility and assisted reproduction technology, a substantial body of sociological and anthropological work on 'reproductive disruptions' of many kinds and a small but growing literature on patient perspectives of the quality of care in assisted reproduction. In all these fields, research studies are far more likely to be focused on the understandings and experiences of women than those of men. This paper discusses reasons for the relative exclusion of men in what has been called the 'psycho-social' literature on infertility, comments on research on men from psychological and social perspectives and recent work on the quality of patient care, and makes suggestions for a reframing of the research agenda on men and assisted reproduction. Further research is needed in all areas, including: perceptions of infertility and infertility treatment seeking; experiences of treatment; information and support needs; decisions to end treatment; fatherhood post assisted conception; and the motivation and experiences of sperm donors and men who seek fatherhood through surrogacy or co-parenting. This paper argues for multimethod, interdisciplinary research that includes broader populations of men which can contribute to improved clinical practice and support for users of assisted reproduction treatment. Copyright © 2013 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Parting Parent Concern Inventory: Parents' appraisals correlate with divorced family functioning.

PubMed

Sanford, Keith; Rivers, Alannah Shelby

2017-10-01

When married parents go through a divorce, they may have concerns in 6 areas that are associated with postdivorce family adjustment. These include concerns about malice, power, custody, child rejection, esteem, and finances. The Parting Parent Concern Inventory assesses these concerns. It was developed in a series of preliminary studies, and this report focuses on results from 2 subsequent validation studies including 643 divorced parents with at least 1 child from their former marriage under the age of 18. Participants completed Internet assessments of their concerns and 14 different convergent validity criterion variables regarding aspects of child internalizing behavior, coparenting relationships, settlement outcomes, and personal well-being. Across both studies, the new measure of concerns fit an expected 6-dimensional factor structure. A total of 25 convergent validity correlations were tested, and all were significant. The distinctiveness of each concern scale was supported by the fact that all but 1 convergent association remained significant after controlling for variance explained by other concern scales. These results provide preliminary validation support for the new instrument. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Practical Tips and Tools: Sharing the Caring--Considerations for Co-Parenting Arrangements when There Is a Separation or Divorce

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parlakian, Rebecca; Lerner, Claire

2012-01-01

The most important factor in helping children cope with a divorce in the family is the ability of both parents to manage their own feelings about the divorce in order to focus on the needs and feelings of their children. When parents are able to establish a plan and approach that enables each to be the best parent he or she can be, it maximizes…

Waterborne Commerce of the United States, Calendar Year 1986. Part 1. Waterways and Harbors, Atlantic Coast

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-05-31

LEDGE CHAN4EL, 24.1 FEET 14 EAST MUORI%G 66814 AND 29.4 FEET IN WEST MOORING BASIN. PROJECT CHANNEL DEPTH.1 32 FEET AT 4EAN LOW WATER. COPARATIVE...FUEL OIL ..................................................................................................... 431,82 TO T AL TOM -4LES, 2.IS,9010. P6...THROUJGHOUT, EXCEPT IN CHANNEL SOUTH OF SHOOTERS ISLAND PHERE THE DEPTH mILL BE 30 FEET. ALL AT MEAN LOW WATER. PROJECT LENGT𔃾S 30.8 HOLES. C04PARATIVE

Study protocol for Enhancing Parenting In Cancer (EPIC): development and evaluation of a brief psycho-educational intervention to support parents with cancer who have young children.

PubMed

Stafford, Lesley; Sinclair, Michelle; Turner, Jane; Newman, Louise; Wakefield, Claire; Krishnasamy, Mei; Mann, G Bruce; Gilham, Leslie; Mason, Kylie; Rauch, Paula; Cannell, Julia; Schofield, Penelope

2017-01-01

Parents with cancer have high rates of psychological morbidity, and their children are at risk of poor psychosocial outcomes, particularly in the context of parental distress and poor family communication. Parents express concerns about the impact of cancer on their children and report a lack of professional guidance in meeting their children's needs. Few parenting interventions exist and current interventions have extensive infrastructure demands making them unsuitable for routine use in most health settings. The aims of this study are to develop and establish the feasibility and acceptability of a novel and accessible psycho-educational intervention to improve parenting efficacy and decrease parental stress among adults with cancer who have children aged 3-12 years. The intervention will be suitable for parents with cancer who are receiving treatment with a view to longer term survival, irrespective of cancer diagnosis, and their respective co-parents. This study comprises two phases using the UK Medical Research Council framework for developing complex interventions. In the development phase, intervention content will be iteratively developed and evaluated in consultation with consumers, and in the piloting phase, feasibility will be tested in a clinical sample of 20 parents with cancer and their co-parents using a single arm, pre-test post-test design. The intervention will comprise an audiovisual resource (DVD), a question prompt list, and a telephone call with a clinical psychologist. Questionnaires administered pre- and 1 month post-intervention will assess parental stress, psychological morbidity, quality of life, self-efficacy and perceptions of child adjustment, and family functioning. Intervention feasibility will be determined by mixed-method participant evaluation of perceived usefulness, benefits, and acceptability. This new initiative will translate existing descriptive evidence into an accessible intervention that supports parenting during cancer treatment and meets the information needs of parents with cancer and their families. This is an important advance: despite increasing recognition of the impact of parental cancer on the family, intervention research lags behind the descriptive literature. This low-intensity, accessible, and targeted intervention places minimal burden on infrastructure and promotes patient autonomy and self-management. If feasible, this style of intervention may be a template for future interventions with similar populations.

Longitudinal associations between mothers' perceptions of nonresidential fathers' investment of resources and influence in decision-making.

PubMed

Fagan, Jay; Palkovitz, Rob

2018-02-01

Nonresidential fathers are challenged to remain involved with their children across time in both direct and indirect ways, including influencing decision-making around important issues such as school attendance and medical care. An analytic sample of 1,350 families with residential mothers and nonresidential fathers was selected from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey-Birth Cohort (ECLS-B) to examine the longitudinal relationships between mothers' reports of nonresidential fathers' influence in decision-making and their provision of resources to their children. Findings indicate that fathers' voluntary contribution of tangible resources (informal child support, caregiving time) when children are 2 years old positively predict fathers' influence in decision-making regarding the care of their 4-year-old children. Fathers' early formal child support is not related to later decision-making. Fathers' communication with mother about the child at 24 months is related to later decision-making among daughters but not sons. Fathers' early decision-making is longitudinally related to later informal child support, caregiving time, and coparenting communication. The findings support the utility of a resource theory of fathering for understanding and predicting observed patterns of father involvement. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Harsh parenting, physical health, and the protective role of positive parent-adolescent relationships.

PubMed

Schofield, Thomas J; Conger, Rand D; Gonzales, Joseph E; Merrick, Melissa T

2016-05-01

Harsh, abusive and rejecting behavior by parents toward their adolescents is associated with increased risk of many developmental problems for youth. In the present study we address behaviors of co-parents that might help disrupt the hypothesized health risk of harsh parenting. Data come from a community study of 451 early adolescents followed into adulthood. During early adolescence, observers rated both parents separately on harshness towards the adolescent. Adolescents reported on their physical health at multiple assessments from age 12 through age 20, and on parental warmth. Harsh parenting predicted declines in adolescent self-reported physical health and increases in adolescent body mass index (BMI). Although the health risk associated with harshness from one parent was buffered by warmth from the other parent, warmth from the second parent augmented the association between harshness from the first parent and change over time in adolescent BMI. As appropriate, preventive interventions should include a focus on spousal or partner behaviors in their educational or treatment programs. Additional research is needed on the association between self-reported physical health and BMI in adolescence. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using Consumer Input to Tailor Evidence-Based Parenting Interventions to the Needs of Grandparents.

PubMed

Kirby, James N; Sanders, Matthew R

2012-08-01

Grandparents provide a significant amount of child care to their grandchildren. However, there is limited research investigating whether grandparents would view a parenting program developed specifically for them as useful. Our study adopted a consumer focused perspective to program design and examined the challenges encountered by grandparents in their role as an informal child care provider. Focus groups were conducted with fourteen grandparents (11 females, 3 males) aged 45-76 years ( M = 60.14) the majority of whom provided 11-20 h of care per week to their grandchild. A thematic analysis indicated that grandparents have difficulty managing the relationship with the parents and remembering effective parenting strategies. In addition, grandparents also indicated wanting further strategies to cope with the stressors associated with the role, particularly surrounding feelings of frustration and guilt. These results suggest that grandparents could benefit from a parenting program and this paper argues that an existing evidence-based parenting program should be modified. In terms of implications for program design the inclusion of a module centered on improving grandparent-parent communication and partner support may buffer potential conflict and tension that can arise in co-parenting situations.

Using Consumer Input to Tailor Evidence-Based Parenting Interventions to the Needs of Grandparents

PubMed Central

Kirby, James N.; Sanders, Matthew R.

2013-01-01

Grandparents provide a significant amount of child care to their grandchildren. However, there is limited research investigating whether grandparents would view a parenting program developed specifically for them as useful. Our study adopted a consumer focused perspective to program design and examined the challenges encountered by grandparents in their role as an informal child care provider. Focus groups were conducted with fourteen grandparents (11 females, 3 males) aged 45–76 years (M = 60.14) the majority of whom provided 11–20 h of care per week to their grandchild. A thematic analysis indicated that grandparents have difficulty managing the relationship with the parents and remembering effective parenting strategies. In addition, grandparents also indicated wanting further strategies to cope with the stressors associated with the role, particularly surrounding feelings of frustration and guilt. These results suggest that grandparents could benefit from a parenting program and this paper argues that an existing evidence-based parenting program should be modified. In terms of implications for program design the inclusion of a module centered on improving grandparent–parent communication and partner support may buffer potential conflict and tension that can arise in co-parenting situations. PMID:23682208

Understanding the mediating role of corporal punishment in the association between maternal stress, efficacy, co-parenting and children's adjustment difficulties among Arab mothers.

PubMed

Khoury-Kassabri, Mona; Attar-Schwartz, Shalhevet; Zur, Hana

2014-06-01

This study, guided by the Family Systems Theory, examines the direct effect of maternal use of corporal punishment on children's adjustment difficulties. Also, it explores whether corporal punishment serves as a mediating factor in the relationship between several maternal characteristics, marital relationships, and children's adjustment difficulties. A total of 2,447 Arab mothers completed anonymous, structured, self-report questionnaires. The use of corporal punishment was generally strongly supported by the Arab mothers in our sample. A greater likelihood of using corporal punishment was found among mothers of boys rather than girls, among mothers with lower perceived self-efficacy to discipline children, and among mothers with a lower perception of their husbands' participation in child-related labor. In addition, the higher a mother's reports on disagreement with her husband about discipline methods and the stronger her level of maternal stress, the more likely she was to use corporal punishment. Corporal punishment also mediated the association between the above mentioned factors and child adjustment difficulties. Furthermore, a husband's emotional support and family socioeconomic status were directly associated to children's adjustment difficulties. The results of the current study emphasize the need to observe children's development within the context of their family systems and to consider the mutual influences of different subsystems such as marital relationships and mother-child interactions. Prevention and intervention programs should raise parents' awareness concerning the harmful effects of corporal punishment and take into account the impact of dynamic transactions of parental conflicts and disagreements regarding discipline methods on child outcomes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Approaching the adolescent-headed family: a review of teen parenting.

PubMed

Savio Beers, Lee A; Hollo, Ruth E

2009-10-01

In the USA, as many as 1 in 6 women nationwide become adolescent mothers, making adolescent pregnancy and childbearing issues a frequently encountered occurrence by pediatricians and adolescent medicine health care providers. Both social and medical programs focus on prevention and management of adolescent pregnancies; however, caring for the adolescent-headed family is less well understood. For many teen parents, various environmental and behavioral risks contributed to early childbearing and parenting. Following delivery of the infant, many of these same psycho-social, environmental, and educational factors continue to play a role in the teen's ability to parent effectively. This review explores these factors in relation to teen parenting as well as describes the limited data available on outcomes of adolescent mothers and their infants. Despite negative social stereotypes regarding adolescent fathers, research suggesting that most fathers desire involvement with their infants and the impact of and factors influencing father involvement is explored. Understanding the dynamics of the coparenting relationship, an expanding field of study, will aid practitioners in strengthening and supporting teen parenting by both mothers and fathers. As most teen parents continue to reside with their families, teen parenting has an important impact on the multi-generational family structure. These relationships can serve both to support and at times to hinder the adolescent parents' development as an individual and as a parent. Successful interventions and programs to support the adolescent-headed family take on various forms but are usually comprehensive and multidisciplinary and consider the developmental status of both the parent and the child. To best care for adolescent-headed families, pediatricians and adolescent medicine providers should understand the psychosocial, developmental, educational, and relationship issues that influence adolescent parenting.

A model parent group for enhancing aggressive children's social competence in Taiwan.

PubMed

Li, Ming-Hui

2009-07-01

This paper presents a semi-structured psychoeducational model of group work for parents of aggressive children based on concepts of co-parenting and bidirectionality. The group was developed for enhancing five Taiwanese aggressive children's social competence by promoting positive interactions within family. Topics covered in the group included identifying parenting styles, forming parental alliances, fostering parent-child mutual initiations/mutual compliances, establishing parent-child co-regulation, and responding to aggressive children's negative emotions. Pre- and post-group comparisons suggested the effectiveness of the group model.

The interpretability of family history reports of alcoholism in general community samples: Findings in a Midwestern US twin birth cohort

PubMed Central

Waldron, Mary; Madden, Pamela A. F.; Nelson, Elliot C.; Knopik, Valerie S.; Glowinski, Anne L.; Grant, Julia D.; Lynskey, Michael T.; Jacob, Theodore; Sher, Kenneth J.; Bucholz, Kathleen K.; Heath, Andrew C.

2011-01-01

Background Although there is a long tradition in alcoholism research of using family history ratings, the interpretability of family history reports of alcoholism from general community samples has yet to be established. Methods Telephone interview data obtained from a large cohort of female like-sex twins (N = 3787, median age 22) and their biological parents (N = 2928, assessed at twins’ median age 15) were analyzed to determine agreement between parent self-report, parent ratings of coparent, and twin narrow (alcohol problems) versus broad (problem or excessive drinking) ratings of each parent. Results In European ancestry (EA) families, high tetrachoric correlations were observed between twin and cotwin ratings of parental alcohol problems, between twin and parent ratings of coparent alcohol problems using symptom-based and single-item assessments, as well as moderately high correlations between twin and both mother and father self-reports. In African American (AA) families, inter-rater agreement was substantially lower than for EA families, with no cases where father ratings of maternal alcohol problems agreed with either twin ratings or mother self-report; and both cotwin agreement and mother-twin agreement were reduced. Differences between EA and AA families were not explained by differences in years of cohabitation with father or mother’s education; however, underreporting of problems by AA parents may have contributed. Conclusions Results support the use of family history ratings of parental alcoholism in general community surveys for European ancestry families, but suggest that family history assessment in African American families requires improved methods. PMID:22235921

Relationship processes and resilience in children with incarcerated parents.

PubMed

Poehlmann, Julie; Eddy, J Mark; Dallaire, Danielle H; Zeman, Janice L; Myers, Barbara J; Mackintosh, Virginia; Kuznetsova, Maria I; Lotze, Geri M; Best, Al M; Ravindran, Neeraja; Loper, Ann Booker; Clarke, Caitlin Novero; McHale, James P; Salman, Selin; Strozier, Anne; Cecil, Dawn K; Martinez, Charles R; Burraston, Bert

2013-06-01

Children with incarcerated parents are at risk for a variety of problematic outcomes, yet research has rarely examined protective factors or resilience processes that might mitigate such risk in this population. In this volume, we present findings from five new studies that focus on child- or family-level resilience processes in children with parents currently or recently incarcerated in jail or prison. In the first study, empathic responding is examined as a protective factor against aggressive peer relations for 210 elementary school age children of incarcerated parents. The second study further examines socially aggressive behaviors with peers, with a focus on teasing and bullying, in a sample of 61 children of incarcerated mothers. Emotion regulation is examined as a possible protective factor. The third study contrasts children's placement with maternal grandmothers versus other caregivers in a sample of 138 mothers incarcerated in a medium security state prison. The relation between a history of positive attachments between mothers and grandmothers and the current cocaregiving alliance are of particular interest. The fourth study examines coparenting communication in depth on the basis of observations of 13 families with young children whose mothers were recently released from jail. Finally, in the fifth study, the proximal impacts of a parent management training intervention on individual functioning and family relationships are investigated in a diverse sample of 359 imprisoned mothers and fathers. Taken together, these studies further our understanding of resilience processes in children of incarcerated parents and their families and set the groundwork for further research on child development and family resilience within the context of parental involvement in the criminal justice system.

Costs to implement an effective transition-to-parenthood program for couples: analysis of the Family Foundations program.

PubMed

Jones, Damon E; Feinberg, Mark E; Hostetler, Michelle L

2014-06-01

The transition to parenthood involves many stressors that can have implications for the couple relationship as well as the developmental environment of the child. Scholars and policymakers have recognized the potential for interventions that can help couples navigate these stressors to improve parenting and coparenting strategies. Such evidence-based programs are scarcely available, however, and little is known about the resources necessary to carry out these programs. This study examines the costs and resources necessary to implement Family Foundations, a program that addresses the multifaceted issues facing first-time parents through a series of pre- and post-natal classes. Costs were determined using a 6-step analytic process and are based on the first implementation of the program carried out through a five-year demonstration project. This assessment demonstrates how overall costs change across years as new cohorts of families are introduced, and how cost breakdowns differ by category as needs shift from training group leaders to sustaining program services. Information from this cost analysis helps clarify how the program could be made more efficient in subsequent implementations. We also consider how results may be used in future research examining economic benefits of participation in the program. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Costs to implement an effective transition-to-parenthood program for couples: Analysis of the Family Foundations program

PubMed Central

Jones, Damon E.; Feinberg, Mark E.; Hostetler, Michelle

2014-01-01

The transition to parenthood involves many stressors that can have implications for the couple relationship as well as the developmental environment of the child. Scholars and policymakers have recognized the potential for interventions that can help couples navigate these stressors to improve parenting and coparenting strategies. Such evidence-based programs are scarcely available, however, and little is known about the resources necessary to carry out these programs. This study examines the costs and resources necessary to implement Family Foundations, a program that addresses the multifaceted issues facing first-time parents through a series of pre- and post-natal classes. Costs were determined using a 6-step analytic process and are based on the first implementation of the program carried out through a five-year demonstration project. This assessment demonstrates how overall costs change across years as new cohorts of families are introduced, and how cost breakdowns differ by category as needs shift from training group leaders to sustaining program services. Information from this cost analysis helps clarify how the program could be made more efficient in subsequent implementations. We also consider how results may be used in future research examining economic benefits of participation in the program. PMID:24603052

End-of-life parental communication priorities among bereaved fathers due to cancer.

PubMed

Park, Eliza M; Deal, Allison M; Yopp, Justin M; Edwards, Teresa; Stephenson, Elise M; Hailey, Claire E; Nakamura, Zev M; Rosenstein, Donald L

2017-05-01

To elicit widowed fathers' perspectives on which domains of parenting-related communication they consider most important for dying parents to discuss at the end of life (EOL). Two hundred seventy nine fathers widowed by cancer completed a survey about their own depression and bereavement symptoms, their wife's illness, and EOL parental communication priorities. Chi square and Fisher's exact tests and logistic regression were used to evaluate relationships between maternal EOL characteristics and fathers' responses to parenting-related EOL communication priorities. Fathers identified raising children in a manner that reflected maternal wishes, whether/how to talk with children about their mother's death, and how the mother wanted to be remembered as the most important EOL communication domains. Fathers who reported that their dying wives were worried about the children were more likely to prioritize raising children in ways that reflect her wishes (p=0.01). Other EOL characteristics were not associated with communication domains. Communicating with children and maintaining emotional connection with the deceased parent are important priorities for bereaved fathers who lost a spouse to cancer. Health care providers working with seriously ill parents may improve family outcomes by supporting communication at the EOL between co-parents. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of parental and grandparental major depressive disorder on behavior problems in early childhood: a three-generation study.

PubMed

Olino, Thomas M; Pettit, Jeremy W; Klein, Daniel N; Allen, Nicholas B; Seeley, John R; Lewinsohn, Peter M

2008-01-01

This aim of this study was to examine the influence of grandparental (G1) and parental (G2) major depressive disorder (MDD) and other forms of psychopathology on behavior problems in very young offspring (G3). Oregon Adolescent Depression Project (OADP) participants who had children over a 3-year period were invited to participate in a study of infant and child development. We attempted to collect diagnostic history from the original OADP (G2) participants, their coparents, the parents of the original OADP participants (G1), and the parents of the coparents. Child (G3) outcomes at 24 months of age were based on parent reports of behavior problems. Univariate correlations indicated that G1 and G2 familial loadings for MDD were associated with higher levels of G3 internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. Multiple regression analyses revealed a significant interaction between G1 and G2 MDD on G3 internalizing (but not externalizing) behavior problems. A higher familial loading for MDD in either the parental or grandparental generation was associated with elevated grandchild internalizing problems, but higher loadings for MDD in both generations did not convey additional risk. Parental MDD and grandparental MDD are both associated with elevated levels of internalizing problems in young grandchildren, but MDD in both the G1 and G2 generations does not confer additional risk. One important implication is that MDD in the grandparental generation is associated with increased risk to grandchildren even in the absence of parental MDD. Future studies should examine the mechanisms through which grandparental psychopathology influences behavior problems in grandchildren.

Disrupting intergenerational continuity in harsh and abusive parenting: the importance of a nurturing relationship with a romantic partner.

PubMed

Conger, Rand D; Schofield, Thomas J; Neppl, Tricia K; Merrick, Melissa T

2013-10-01

Harsh, abusive, and rejecting behavior by parents toward their children is associated with increased risk for many developmental problems for youth. Earlier research also shows that children raised by harsh parents are more likely to treat their own children harshly. The present study evaluated nurturing and supportive behaviors of spouses or cohabiting romantic partners hypothesized to strengthen co-parent relationships and help break this intergenerational cycle of harsh parenting. Data come from the Family Transitions Project, a 22-year, 3-generation study of a cohort of over 500 early adolescents (G2) grown to adulthood. During adolescence, observers rated G1 (parent of G2) harsh parenting to G2. Several years later, observers rated G2 harsh parenting toward their oldest child (G3). In addition, G2's romantic partner (spouse or cohabiting partner) was rated by observers on a range of behaviors expected to affect G2 harsh parenting. Romantic partner warmth and positive communication with G2 were associated with less G2 harsh parenting toward G3 (a compensatory or main effect) and when these partner behaviors were high, there was no evidence of intergenerational continuity from G1 to G2 harsh parenting (a moderating or protective effect). G1 harsh parenting slightly decreased the likelihood that G2 would select a supportive spouse or romantic partner (evidence of cumulative continuity). Romantic partner warmth and positive communication appear to disrupt continuity in harsh and abusive parenting. As appropriate, preventive interventions designed to reduce risk for child maltreatment should include a focus on spousal or partner behaviors in their educational or treatment programs. Copyright © 2013 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Psychosocial adjustment and physical health in children of divorce.

PubMed

Nunes-Costa, Rui A; Lamela, Diogo J P V; Figueiredo, Bárbara F C

2009-01-01

To review the literature on the effects of parental divorce over the psychological maladjustment and physical health problems in children of divorced parents, thus contributing to the integration of existing scientific knowledge based on the biopsychosocial model of the impact of divorce on children's physical health as proposed by Troxel and Matthews (2004). Review of the literature using MEDLINE and PsycInfo (1980-2007) databases, selecting the most representative articles on the subject. Special attention was paid to contributions by internationally renowned investigators on the subject. Divorce may be responsible for a decline of physical and psychological health in children. The developmental maladjustment of children is not triggered by divorce itself, but rather by other risk factors associated with it, such as interparental conflict, parental psychopathology, decline in socio-economic level, inconsistency in parenting styles, a parallel and conflicting co-parenting relationship between parents and low levels of social support. Such risk factors trigger maladjusted developmental pathways, marked by psychopathological symptoms, poor academic performance, worst levels of physical health, risk behavior, exacerbated psychophysiological responses to stress and weakening of the immune system. Clear links were observed between experiencing parental divorce and facing problems of physical and psychological maladjustment in children. Divorce is a stressor that should be considered by health professionals as potentially responsible for maladjusted neuropsychobiological responses and for decline in children's physical health.

Florida State University's Institute for Family Violence Studies.

PubMed

Oehme, Karen

2018-01-01

This article outlines the role of the Institute for Family Violence Studies (IFVS) within the Florida State University College of Social Work in navigating issues intersecting social work and the law ( http://familyvio.csw.fsu.edu/ ). By developing comprehensive state and national trainings for unique populations and conducting interdisciplinary research, the IFVS promotes public policy that benefits healthy families and decreases family and intimate partner violence. The crucial role of staff and students, the IFVS's collaborative alliances, and funding sources are highlighted. Projects such as the Clearinghouse on Supervised Visitation, the National Prevention Toolkit on Officer-Involved Domestic Violence, Successful Co-Parenting After Divorce, and the LGBTQ Family Life Project are described. Plans for future projects, as well as other new avenues for research, are summarized.

A Theoretical and Clinical Framework for Parental Burnout: The Balance Between Risks and Resources (BR2)

PubMed Central

Mikolajczak, Moïra; Roskam, Isabelle

2018-01-01

Parental burnout is a specific syndrome resulting from enduring exposure to chronic parenting stress. But why do some parents burn out while others, facing the same stressors, do not? The main aim of this paper was to propose a theory of parental burnout capable of predicting who is at risk of burnout, explaining why a particular parent burned out and why at that specific point in time, and providing directions for intervention. The secondary goal was to operationalize this theory in a tool that would be easy to use for both researchers and clinicians. The results of this two-wave longitudinal study conducted on 923 parents suggest that the Balance between Risks and Resources (BR2) theory proposed here is a relevant framework to predict and explain parental burnout. More specifically, the results show that (1) the BR2 instrument reliably measures parents' balance between risks (parental stress-enhancing factors) and resources (parental stress-alleviating factors), (2) there is a strong linear relationship between BR2 score and parental burnout, (3) parental burnout results from a chronic imbalance of risks over resources, (4) BR2 predicts parental burnout better than job burnout and (5) among the risk and resource factors measured in BR2, risks and resources non-specific to parenting (e.g., low stress-management abilities, perfectionism) equally predict parental and job burnout, while risks and resources specific to parenting (e.g., childrearing practices, coparenting) uniquely predict parental burnout. PMID:29946278

Chronic Stress and C-Reactive Protein in Mothers During the First Postpartum Year.

PubMed

Guardino, Christine M; Dunkel Schetter, Christine; Hobel, Calvin J; Gaines Lanzi, Robin; Schafer, Peter; Thorp, John M; Shalowitz, Madeleine U

2017-05-01

Elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular and metabolic disease. The current study tested associations between psychosocial stress and CRP in a large sample of women during the first postpartum year. We analyzed data collected by the five-site Community Child Health Network study, which studied a predominately poor population. Participants (n = 1206 women; 54% African American, 23% white, 23% Hispanic/Latina) were recruited shortly after the birth of a child. Multiple linear regression analyses tested associations of psychosocial stress in several life domains (financial, neighborhood, family, coparenting, partner relationship, discrimination, and interpersonal violence) with log-transformed CRP concentrations at 6-month and 1-year postpartum. Forty-eight percent of participants showed evidence of elevated CRP (≥3 mg/L) at 6-month postpartum, and 46% had elevated CRP at 12-month postpartum. Chronic financial stress at 1-month postpartum predicted higher levels of CRP at 6- (b = .15, SE = .05, p = .006) and 12-month postpartum (b = .15, SE = .06, p = .007) adjusting for race/ethnicity, income, education, parity, health behaviors, and chronic health conditions, though associations became nonsignificant when adjusted for body mass index. In this low-income and ethnic/racially diverse sample of women, higher financial stress at 1-month postbirth predicted higher CRP. Study findings suggest that perceived financial stress stemming from socioeconomic disadvantage may be a particular deleterious form of stress affecting maternal biology during the year after the birth of a child.

Parent-child relationships, partner relationships, and emotional adjustment: a birth-to-maturity prospective study.

PubMed

Overbeek, Geertjan; Stattin, Håkan; Vermulst, Ad; Ha, Thao; Engels, Rutger C M E

2007-03-01

This study examined whether detrimental childhood relationships with parents were related to partner relationship quality and emotional adjustment in adulthood. The authors tested a theoretical model in which (a) low-quality parent-child relationships were related to conflict and low-quality communication with parents in adolescence, (b) parent-adolescent conflict and low-quality communication were linked to low-quality partner relationships in young adulthood, and (c) low-quality partner relationships in young adulthood were predictive of low-quality partner relationships as well as depression, anxiety, and dissatisfaction with life at midlife. Multi-informant data were used from 212 Swedish individuals who were followed from birth into adulthood. Results demonstrated that, as hypothesized, negative parent-child bonds were indirectly related to low-quality partner relationships and dissatisfaction with life in adulthood (but not anxiety and depression) through conflictual parent-adolescent communication and low-quality partner relationships in young adulthood.

Family therapy for conduct disorders.

PubMed

Sholevar, G P

2001-07-01

Low levels of parental skill and cooperation are the prominent roots of arrested socialization, and a lack of appreciation for intimate and gratifying human relationships is evident in children with CD. The relational problems are exaggerated further by the child's observation of chronic parental discord and internalization of a family image constructed around intrafamilial conflict and isolation. Skills deficits in parental and marital communication and problem solving and conflicts in these relationships play significant roles in producing family dysfunction. The low level of parental differentiation and identity formation plays a fundamental role in family dysfunction by interfering with the development of an adequate self-image, self-esteem, and internal codes of behavior in the child. The transmission of parental antisocial tendencies to their children is facilitated by the low level of differentiation between parent and child. Family treatment should focus on enhancing cooperation between parents and children and between parents as co-parents and as a couple. Enhancing parent management skills can undermine the use of coercive, punitive, and impulsive interactions in the families. The higher divorce rate in parents of children with CD should be addressed with parents directly and early in treatment with the hope of mobilizing the rehabilitative and cooperative marital forces. In terms of future directions, family studies should address and incorporate the expanding knowledge of biologic and psychologic characteristics of children with CD and the possible impact of such characteristics in undermining family development and integrity. Such investigations should include the following information: The role of sustained and intense aggression in some children on family functioning and development. The possible role of diminished response to punishment and excessive search for gratification in children with CD. The role of the child with CD in promoting marital and family discord and divorce. The role of neurotransmitters (such as serotonin) in the production of irritability, provocativeness, coercive family processes, and subsequent depression in the caregiver or the child. Effective models of intervention with children with CD in hospitals and residential treatment centers.

The Actor, Partner, Similarity Effects of Personality, and Interactions with Gender and Relationship Duration among Chinese Emerging Adults

PubMed Central

Zhou, Yixin; Wang, Kexin; Chen, Shuang; Zhang, Jianxin; Zhou, Mingjie

2017-01-01

Understanding personality effects and their role in influencing relationship quality, varied according to gender and relationship duration, could help us better understand close relationships. Participants were Chinese dating dyads and were asked to complete both the Big Five Inventory and Perceived Relationship Quality Component scales. Males and those who had a long-term relationship perceived better relationship quality; individuals who scored higher on agreeableness, conscientiousness, openness, and emotional stability enjoyed better relationship quality; gender and/or relationship duration moderated the actor effect of extraversion and the partner effects of conscientiousness, emotional stability, and openness on relationship quality. Regarding the profile similarity, those couples who were more dissimilar in their profile personality had better relationship quality, especially when they were in a relatively long-term relationship. Meanwhile, with an increase in profile similarity, the males' perceived relationship quality decreased. PMID:29033878

An attachment theory perspective in the examination of relational processes associated with coach-athlete dyads.

PubMed

Davis, Louise; Jowett, Sophia; Lafrenière, Marc-André K

2013-04-01

The aim of the current study was to examine actor and partner effects of (a) athletes' and coaches' attachment styles (avoidant and anxious) on the quality of the coach-athlete relationship, and (b) athletes' and coaches' quality of the coach-athlete relationship on relationship satisfaction employing the actor-partner interdependence model (Kenny, Kashy, & Cook, 2006). Coaches (N = 107) and athletes (N = 107) completed a questionnaire related to attachment styles, relationship quality, and relationship satisfaction. Structural equation model analyses revealed (a) actor effects for coaches' and athletes' avoidant attachment styles on their own perception of relationship quality and coaches' and athletes' perception of relationship quality on their own perception of relationship satisfaction, and (b) partner effects for athletes' avoidant attachment style on coaches' perceptions of relationship quality and for coaches' perceptions of relationship quality on athletes' perceptions of relationship satisfaction. The findings highlight that attachments styles can help us understand the processes involved in the formation and maintenance of quality relational bonds between coaches and athletes.

Associations Between Sibling Relationship Quality and Friendship Quality in Early Adolescence: Looking at the Case of Twins.

PubMed

Bekkhus, Mona; Brendgen, Mara; Czajkowski, Nikolai O; Vitaro, Frank; Dionne, Ginette; Boivin, Michel

2016-04-01

Bidirectional pathways between twin relationship quality and friendship quality were investigated in a large longitudinal twin cohort. We examined negative and positive relationship features in 313 monozygotic (MZ) twins and 238 same-sex dizygotic (DZ) twins from ages 13 to 14 years, using latent structural modeling. Results showed stronger stability of the twin relationship quality compared to friendship quality. Positive features in the sibling relationship were associated with increased positive features in the relationship with the best friend a year later. In contrast, no significant association between negative sibling relationship features and change in negative friendship quality features was found. These findings speak to the important role of the sibling relationship in the development of good quality friendship relations in twins.

Testing a pharmacist-patient relationship quality model among older persons with diabetes.

PubMed

Worley, Marcia M

2006-03-01

Considering recent changes to the Medicare program, pharmacists will have unique opportunities to be reimbursed for providing Medication Therapy Management Services to older persons with diabetes. A high-quality pharmacist-patient relationship can lay the foundation for effective provision of Medication Therapy Management Services and improved care in this cohort. To test a pharmacist-patient relationship quality model in a group of older persons with diabetes from the patient's perspective. Antecedents to relationship quality were pharmacist participative behavior/patient-centeredness of relationship, patient participative behavior, and pharmacist-patient interpersonal communication. Pharmacist-patient relationship commitment was the outcome of relationship quality studied. Data were collected via mailed questionnaire from a random sample of 600 community-dwelling adults in the United States who (1) were 65 years of age and older, (2) had type 1 or type 2 diabetes, (3) used at least one prescription medication to treat their diabetes, and (4) used some type of nonmail order pharmacy as their primary source of obtaining prescription medications. Model relationships were tested using path analysis. The adjusted response rate was 41.6% (221/531). The models explained 47% and 49% of the variance in relationship quality and relationship commitment, respectively. In the relationship quality model, pharmacist participative behavior/patient-centeredness of relationship (beta=.51, P<.001) and pharmacist-patient interpersonal communication (beta=.17, P=.008) had direct effects on relationship quality. In the relationship commitment model, relationship quality had a direct effect on relationship commitment (beta=.60, P<.001). Pharmacist participative behavior/patient-centeredness and pharmacist-patient interpersonal communication had indirect effects on relationship commitment through their effects on relationship quality, which is a mediator in the model. Results affirm findings from previous research showing that patients' perceptions of pharmacist participative behavior/patient-centeredness of relationship and pharmacist-patient interpersonal communication are positively related to perceptions of relationship quality. Also, relationship quality is a strong mediator between pharmacist participative behavior/patient-centeredness of relationship and relationship commitment, as well as between pharmacist-patient interpersonal communication and relationship commitment.

Effects of big-five personality traits on the quality of relationship and satisfaction in Chinese coach-athlete dyads.

PubMed

Yang, S X; Jowett, S; Chan, D K C

2015-08-01

The present study examined the influence of personality traits on the quality of the Chinese coach-athlete relationship and satisfaction through a dyadic research design. A total of 350 coach-athlete dyads completed a self-report instrument that assessed personality traits, as well as perceptions of relationship quality and satisfaction with training. Results revealed that: (a) actor effects (i.e., actor's personality will predict his or her own perceptions of relationship quality) of personality traits, namely, conscientiousness, extroversion, and neuroticism, on both coaches' and athletes' perceptions of relationship quality and (b) partner effects (an actor's own personality will predict his or her partner's perceptions of relationship quality) of only athletes' personality, namely, conscientiousness, extroversion, and neuroticism, on their coaches' perceptions of relationship quality. The findings suggested that each relationship member's personality trait contributed independently to relationship quality, and both actor and partner effects of the relationship quality on satisfaction with training were found to be significant. In Chinese sports culture, there presents a unique dynamics of personality and relationship quality among coach-athlete dyad. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS AND SLEEP QUALITY

PubMed Central

Kent, Robert G.; Uchino, Bert N.; Cribbet, Matthew R.; Bowen, Kimberly; Smith, Timothy W.

2015-01-01

Background The quality of social relationships and social support appears to be associated with physical health outcomes and sleep quality. Almost all previous research in this area focuses on positive aspects of relationships. Purpose The present study thus intended to examine the links between supportive, aversive, ambivalent, and indifferent network ties and sleep quality. Methods Relationship data, PSQI-assessed sleep quality, and depression were examined in 175 middle-aged and older adults. Results Consistent with hypotheses, supportive ties were positively related to sleep quality, while aversive ties predicted worse sleep quality; associations that were primarily seen for close relationships. Ambivalent and indifferent ties were not significant predictors of sleep quality. Importantly, depression was found to mediate the link between relationship quality and sleep quality. Conclusions These data suggest the more specific types of social relationships that may be linked to poor sleep quality, and that depression appears to underlie these associations. PMID:25976874

Relations between parents' interactive style in dyadic and triadic play and toddlers' symbolic capacity.

PubMed

Keren, M; Feldman, R; Namdari-Weinbaum, I; Spitzer, S; Tyano, S

2005-10-01

Play has a major role in the evaluation and treatment of young children referred to mental health clinicians. The present study examined parental correlates of preschoolers' symbolic play during dyadic and triadic play interactions. Boys' play contained more aggressive themes, and girls' contained more nurturing themes. Mothers displayed more caring themes during play with both sons and daughters, and fathers displayed more repair and construction themes. Mothers' and fathers' facilitative- creative interaction style in dyadic play predicted the level of the child's symbolic play. Co-parenting style marked by cooperation and autonomy predicted symbolic play during a triadic family session. Child intelligence predicted symbolic play beyond the parent's style during triadic but not dyadic interactions. The findings have implications for early intervention directed at increasing symbolic play in young children.

Relationship Quality Time: The Validation of a Relationship Quality Scale in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snijders, Ingrid; Rikers, Remy M. J. P.; Wijnia, Lisette; Loyens, Sofie M. M.

2018-01-01

This study investigated the overall "quality" of the interpersonal relationship students have with faculty and staff, that is, relationship quality (RQ). In relationship management research, RQ is paramount for the creation of bonds with customers, which in turn is necessary for the sustainability of organizations, that is, continuity…

Risky sexual behavior: the indirect effects between parent-child relationship quality and quality of life in emerging adults.

PubMed

Szkody, Erica; Rogers, Mary Moussa; McKinney, Cliff

2018-06-16

Parent-child relationship quality is an important factor when examining adolescent's risk for problem behaviors. For this reason, many researchers have explored the impacts of parent-child relationship quality on adolescent and child behavior, yet the parent-child relationship has lasting consequences into adulthood. The current study examined the mediating role of risky sexual behavior (as measured by the Youth Risk Behavior Survey) on the relationship between parent-child relationship quality (as measured by the Parental Environment Questionnaire) and quality of life (as measured by the World Health Organizations Quality of Life Questionnaire) beyond adolescence, during emerging adulthood. The additional moderating effects of gender were examined. Participants consisted of 507 undergraduate students (173 males, 334 females) recruited from a large university in the Southern United States between 18 and 25 years of age. Parent-child relationship quality was positively related to quality of life among both males and females. The indirect pathway from parent-child relationship quality to quality of life, through risky sexual behavior, was significant in females but not in males. Results suggest that the parent-child relationship, specifically for females, may be a target for intervention in the prevention of risky sexual behavior in Emerging Adulthood. Further results, implications, and limitations were discussed.

Impact of Relationship Status and Quality (Family Type) on the Mental Health of Mothers and Their Children: A 10-Year Longitudinal Study.

PubMed

Hannighofer, Jasmin; Foran, Heather; Hahlweg, Kurt; Zimmermann, Tanja

2017-01-01

Mothers and children of single or unstable relationships have higher rates of mental health problems than those in stable two-parent families. Despite results that mothers and children of conflictual two-parent families also show impairments, most studies do not consider relationship quality. Therefore, the present study combines relationship status and relationship quality to a "family type." The present study compares German mothers and children of two-parent families with high relationship quality to those from two-parent families with a low quality, single mothers, and unstable families. Data of n  = 249 families from a 10-year follow-up longitudinal study show that mothers with a high relationship quality show the highest levels of mental health whereas all other groups show at least a 3.2 times higher probability of mental health symptoms. Children of mothers in unstable relationships show a 8.2 times higher probability to emotional or behavioral problems than children of mothers with high relationship quality. Therefore, not only relationship status but also relationship quality should be combined and this "family type" should be considered in future research.

Quality and Correlates of Peer Relationships in Youths with Chronic Pain.

PubMed

La Buissonnière-Ariza, Valérie; Hart, Dennis; Schneider, Sophie C; McBride, Nicole M; Cepeda, Sandra L; Haney, Brandon; Tauriello, Sara; Glenn, Shannon; Ung, Danielle; Huszar, Peter; Tetreault, Lisa; Petti, Erin; Winesett, S Parrish; Storch, Eric A

2018-04-10

Youths with chronic pain may experience difficulties with peer relationships. We investigated the quality and correlates of peer relationships in a sample of 181 youths with chronic pain. A majority of youths were satisfied with their relationships with peers; however, levels were highly variable. Higher functional impairment and depression levels predicted lower peer relationship quality, controlling for demographic and other pain-related factors. In addition, peer relationship quality and pain severity predicted child depression and anxiety symptoms, whereas peer relationship quality only predicted anger symptoms. Relationship quality moderated the association between pain severity and functional impairment, suggesting that strong relationships with peers may buffer the effects of pain on functioning. Peer relationships seem particularly important for the adjustment and psychological well-being of youths with chronic pain. Particular attention should be given to functionally impaired and depressed children, who may be at higher risk of peer difficulties.

Social relationships, depressive symptoms and suicidality in Korea: Examining mediating and moderating effects in men and women.

PubMed

Lee, Min-Ah

2016-02-01

It has been widely recognized that social relationships and depressive symptoms predict suicidality. However, there are few empirical studies examining relationships among these three factors using an integrative approach. This study aimed to examine the effects of perceived quality of social relationships and depressive symptoms on suicidality and to analyze whether the effect of perceived quality of social relationships on suicidality is mediated by depressive symptoms or whether the perceived quality of social relationships has a moderating effect on the relationship between depressive symptoms and suicidality in men and women. The data were drawn from the 2012 Korean General Social Survey, a nationally representative survey. Multiple regression models and subsample analyses were conducted according to gender. A higher perceived quality of social relationships decreased suicidality while depressive symptoms increased suicidality. The effect of perceived quality of social relationships was partially mediated by depressive symptoms. Perceived quality of social relationships also significantly interacted with depressive symptoms, suggesting that the harmful effect of depressive symptoms was ameliorated as perceived quality of social relationships increased. A subsample analysis according to gender, however, indicated a significant gender difference in that the perceived quality of social relationships moderated the effect of depressive symptoms only in women. The findings suggest that enhanced quality of social relationships can protect people from suicidal risk and are more effective for women with depressive symptoms than for men with the same symptoms. © The Author(s) 2015.

Consequences of Dating for Post-Divorce Maternal Well-Being

PubMed Central

Langlais, Michael R.; Anderson, Edward R.; Greene, Shannon M.

2016-01-01

Repartnering has been linked to health benefits for mothers, yet few studies have examined relationship quality in this context. According to the divorce-stress-adaptation perspective, relationship quality may influence the relationship between maternal well-being and dating after divorce. The current study examines the consequences of dating, relationship quality, and dating transitions (breaking up and dating new partners) on maternal well-being (negative affect and life satisfaction). Using monthly surveys completed by mothers over a two-year period after filing for divorce, we examined changes in intercepts and slopes of dating status and transitions for maternal well-being while also testing the effects of relationship quality. Mothers entering high-quality relationships were likely to report boosts in well-being at relationship initiation compared to single mothers and mothers entering low-quality relationships. Mothers entering lower-quality relationships were likely to report lower levels of well-being than single mothers. Dating transitions were associated with increases in well-being. Implications for maternal adjustment are discussed. PMID:27746511

Quality Counts: Developmental Shifts in Associations Between Romantic Relationship Qualities and Psychosocial Adjustment

PubMed Central

Collibee, Charlene; Furman, Wyndol

2015-01-01

The present study assessed a developmental task theory of romantic relationships by examining associations between romantic relationship qualities and adjustment across 9 years using a community based sample of 100 male and 100 female participants (M age Wave 1 = 15.83) in a Western U.S. city. Using multilevel modeling, the study examined the moderating effect of age on links between romantic relationship qualities and adjustment. Consistent with developmental task theory, high romantic quality was more associated with internalizing symptoms and dating satisfaction during young adulthood than adolescence. Romantic relationship qualities were also associated with externalizing symptoms and substance use, but the degree of association was consistent across ages. The findings underscore the significance of romantic relationship qualities across development. PMID:26283151

Exploring Mexican American adolescent romantic relationship profiles and adjustment

PubMed Central

Moosmann, Danyel A.V.; Roosa, Mark W.

2015-01-01

Although Mexican Americans are the largest ethnic minority group in the nation, knowledge is limited regarding this population's adolescent romantic relationships. This study explored whether 12th grade Mexican Americans’ (N = 218; 54% female) romantic relationship characteristics, cultural values, and gender created unique latent classes and if so, whether they were linked to adjustment. Latent class analyses suggested three profiles including, relatively speaking, higher, satisfactory, and lower quality romantic relationships. Regression analyses indicated these profiles had distinct associations with adjustment. Specifically, adolescents with higher and satisfactory quality romantic relationships reported greater future family expectations, higher self-esteem, and fewer externalizing symptoms than those with lower quality romantic relationships. Similarly, adolescents with higher quality romantic relationships reported greater academic self-efficacy and fewer sexual partners than those with lower quality romantic relationships. Overall, results suggested higher quality romantic relationships were most optimal for adjustment. Future research directions and implications are discussed. PMID:26141198

Marital Quality, Gender, and Markers of Inflammation in the MIDUS Cohort

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donoho, Carrie J.; Crimmins, Eileen M.; Seeman, Teresa E.

2013-01-01

Marital quality is an important factor for understanding the relationship between marriage and health. Low-quality relationships may not have the same health benefits as high-quality relationships. To understand the association between marital quality and health, we examined associations between two indicators of marital quality (marital support…

Spillover between Marital Quality and Parent-child Relationship Quality: Parental Depressive Symptoms as Moderators

PubMed Central

Kouros, Chrystyna D.; Papp, Lauren M.; Goeke-Morey, Marcie C.; Cummings, E. Mark

2015-01-01

Using a daily diary method, this study examined concurrent and time-lagged relations between marital and parent-child relationship qualities, providing a test of the spillover and compensatory hypotheses. Additionally, this study tested both mothers’ and fathers’ depressive symptoms as moderators of these daily linkages. Participants were 203 families, in which mothers and fathers completed daily diaries for 15 days. At the end of each reporting day, parents independently rated the emotional quality of their relationship with their spouse and with their child that day. Controlling for global levels of marital satisfaction, marital conflict, and parenting, a positive association was found between mothers’ and fathers’ daily ratings of marital quality and their ratings of parent-child relationship quality, supporting the spillover hypothesis. When considering time-lagged relations, support was found for the compensatory hypothesis for mothers: lower levels of marital quality were related to increases in mother-child relationship quality from one day to the next. Further, both maternal and paternal depressive symptoms moderated the link between marital quality and the other parent’s relationship quality with their child. Whereas maternal depressive symptoms strengthened spillover relations for fathers on the next day, paternal depression was related to less spillover for mothers on the same day. Alternative models did not find evidence for parent-child relationship quality as a predictor of changes in marital quality on the next day. The findings underscore the importance of the quality of the marital relationship for predicting the quality of other family relationships. PMID:24821519

Perceptions of Parent-Child Attachment Relationships and Friendship Qualities: Predictors of Romantic Relationship Involvement and Quality in Adolescence.

PubMed

Kochendorfer, Logan B; Kerns, Kathryn A

2017-05-01

Relationships with parents and friends are important contexts for developing romantic relationship skills. Parents and friends may influence both the timing of involvement and the quality of romantic relationships. Three models of the joint influence of parents and friends (direct effects model, mediation model, and moderator model) have been proposed. The present study uses data from a longitudinal study (n = 1012; 49.8% female; 81.1% Caucasian) to examine how attachment and friendship quality at age 10 years predict romantic relationship involvement and quality at ages 12 and 15 years. The results supported the direct effects model, with attachment and friendship quality uniquely predicting different romantic relationship outcomes. The findings provide further support for the important influence of family and friends on early romantic relationships.

Assessing the relationship between technology readiness and continuance intention in an E-appointment system: relationship quality as a mediator.

PubMed

Chen, Shih-Chih; Jong, Din; Lai, Min-Tsai

2014-09-01

Numerous types of self-service technologies have prevailed due to innovations in network and information technology. To hospitals, patient intentions to continue to use the e-appointment system are crucial. Previous investigations discussed only the relationships between the technology readiness of users and their continuance intentions, and ignored the most important mediator, relationship quality. This study explored the relationships among technology readiness, relationship quality, and continuance intention. The research results demonstrated that both optimism and innovativeness significantly and positively influenced continuance intention through the mediating effect of relationship quality. However, discomfort and insecurity hid not significantly influence relationship quality or continuance intention. Finally, theoretical contributions, managerial implications and future research directions were discussed.

Romantic Relationship Quality in the Digital Age: A Study with Young Adults.

PubMed

Sánchez, Virginia; Muñoz-Fernández, Noelia; Ortega-Ruiz, Rosario

2017-05-03

Recent studies suggest that the online and offline behaviors young people display in romantic relationships are closely related. However, the differential effects of the dimensions of couple quality in the online context have not yet been explored in depth. The aim of this study was to explore online couple quality in young-adult relationships, and its association with romantic relationship satisfaction, also looking at effects of gender, age, and length of the relationship. 431 university students currently in a romantic relationship (68.2% females; mean age = 21.57) participated in this study. They completed different self-report measures to tap the online quality of their romantic relationships (online intimacy, control, jealousy, intrusiveness, cyberdating practices, and communication strategies) and level of satisfaction with those relationships. Results showed that participants more often reported online intimacy (M men = 2.49; M women = 2.38) than the negative scales of online quality (mean ranged from .43 to 1.50), and all the online quality scales decreased with age (correlations ranged from -.12 to -.30) and relationship length (correlations ranged from -.02 to -.20). Linear regression analyses indicated that online intimacy (b = .32, p = .001) and intrusiveness (b = .11, p = .035) were positively related to relationship satisfaction, while cyberdating practices (b = -.20, p = .001) and communication strategies (b = -.34, p = .001) were negatively correlated with relationship satisfaction. Moreover, gender and relationship length moderated some of these associations. Results indicate that while online quality and relationship satisfaction are related, the impact of different online quality dimensions on relationship satisfaction differs depending on a participant's sex, age, and relationship length.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptom levels and romantic relationship quality in college students.

PubMed

Bruner, Michael R; Kuryluk, Amanda D; Whitton, Sarah W

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine whether attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptom levels in college undergraduates are associated with poorer romantic relationship quality, and to test whether emotion regulation difficulties, perceived stress, and hostile relationship conflict mediate this association. The sample consisted of 189 undergraduate students aged 18 to 25. Self-report measures of ADHD symptoms, relationship quality, and the proposed mediators were collected via online survey from May through August 2011. Participants who reported clinically significant levels of both hyperactivity-impulsivity and inattentiveness (consistent with ADHD-C) had lower relationship quality than those whose self-reported symptoms indicated no ADHD diagnosis. Further, for women only, both hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive symptom levels were negatively associated with relationship quality. Emotion regulation problems and hostile relationship conflict mediated this association. Findings suggest that ADHD impairs relationship quality among young adults and suggest mechanisms through which this impairment might occur.

Fluctuation in Relationship Quality Over Time and Individual Well-being: Main, Mediated, and Moderated Effects

PubMed Central

Whitton, Sarah W.; Rhoades, Galena K.; Whisman, Mark A.

2018-01-01

This study examined how the degree of within-person variation (or temporal fluctuation) in relationship quality over time was associated with well-being (psychological distress and life satisfaction). A national sample of 18 to 34 year old men and women in unmarried, opposite-sex relationships completed six waves of surveys every four months (N = 748). Controlling for initial levels of and linear changes in relationship quality, greater temporal fluctuation in relationship quality over time was associated with increasing psychological distress and decreasing life satisfaction over time. Decreased confidence in one’s relationship partially mediated these associations. Moderation analyses revealed that the association between fluctuations in relationship quality and change in life satisfaction was stronger for women, participants cohabiting with their partners, and those with greater anxious attachment, whereas the association between fluctuations in relationship quality and change in psychological distress was stronger for people with greater avoidant attachment. PMID:24727811

The quality of social relationships in ravens

PubMed Central

Fraser, Orlaith N.; Bugnyar, Thomas

2015-01-01

The quality of a social relationship represents the history of past social interactions between two individuals, from which the nature and outcome of future interactions can be predicted. Current theory predicts that relationship quality comprises three separate components, its value, compatibility and security. This study is the first to investigate the components of relationship quality in a large-brained bird. Following methods recently used to obtain quantitative measures of each relationship quality component in chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes, we entered data on seven behavioural variables from a group of 11 ravens, Corvus corax, into a principal components analysis. The characteristics of the extracted components matched those predicted for value, compatibility and security, and were labelled as such. When the effects of kinship and sex combination on each relationship quality component were analysed, we found that kin had more valuable relationships, whereas females had less secure and compatible relationships, although the effect of sex combination on compatibility only applied to nonkin. These patterns are consistent with what little knowledge we have of raven relationships from aviary studies and show that the components of relationship quality in ravens may indeed be analogous to those in chimpanzees. PMID:25821236

Couple Relationship Functioning as a Source or Mitigator of HIV Risk: Associations Between Relationship Quality and Sexual Risk Behavior in Peri-urban Uganda.

PubMed

Ruark, Allison; Kajubi, Phoebe; Ruteikara, Sam; Green, Edward C; Hearst, Norman

2018-04-01

Despite evidence that a greater focus on couples could strengthen HIV prevention efforts, little health-related research has explored relationship functioning and relationship quality among couples in Africa. Using data from 162 couples (324 individuals) resident in a peri-urban Ugandan community, we assessed actor and partner effects of sexual risk behaviors on relationship quality, using psychometric measures of dyadic adjustment, sexual satisfaction, commitment, intimacy, and communication. For women and men, poor relationship quality was associated with having concurrent sexual partners and suspecting that one's partner had concurrent sexual partners (actor effects). Women's poor relationship quality was also associated with men's sexual risk behaviors (partner effects), although the inverse partner effect was not observed. These findings suggest that relationship quality is linked to HIV risk, particularly through the pathway of concurrent sexual partnerships, and that positive relationship attributes such as sexual satisfaction, intimacy, and constructive communication can help couples to avoid risk.

Adoption: biological and social processes linked to adaptation.

PubMed

Grotevant, Harold D; McDermott, Jennifer M

2014-01-01

Children join adoptive families through domestic adoption from the public child welfare system, infant adoption through private agencies, and international adoption. Each pathway presents distinctive developmental opportunities and challenges. Adopted children are at higher risk than the general population for problems with adaptation, especially externalizing, internalizing, and attention problems. This review moves beyond the field's emphasis on adoptee-nonadoptee differences to highlight biological and social processes that affect adaptation of adoptees across time. The experience of stress, whether prenatal, postnatal/preadoption, or during the adoption transition, can have significant impacts on the developing neuroendocrine system. These effects can contribute to problems with physical growth, brain development, and sleep, activating cascading effects on social, emotional, and cognitive development. Family processes involving contact between adoptive and birth family members, co-parenting in gay and lesbian adoptive families, and racial socialization in transracially adoptive families affect social development of adopted children into adulthood.

Gender minority stress, mental health, and relationship quality: a dyadic investigation of transgender women and their cisgender male partners.

PubMed

Gamarel, Kristi E; Reisner, Sari L; Laurenceau, Jean-Philippe; Nemoto, Tooru; Operario, Don

2014-08-01

Research has demonstrated associations between experiences of discrimination, relationship quality, and mental health. However, critical questions remain unanswered with regard to how stigma enacted and experienced at the dyadic-level influences relationship quality and mental health for transgender women and their cisgender (nontransgender) male partners. The present study sought to examine how experiences of transgender-related discrimination (i.e., unfair treatment, harassment) and relationship stigma (i.e., the real or anticipated fear of rejection based on one's romantic affiliation) were associated with both partners relationship quality and mental health. Couples (n = 191) were recruited to participate in cross-sectional survey. Dyadic analyses using actor-partner interdependence models were conducted to examine the influence of minority stressors on clinically significant depressive distress and relationship quality. For both partners, financial hardship, discrimination, and relationship stigma were associated with an increased odds of depressive distress. For both partners, financial hardship was associated with lower relationship quality. Among transgender women, their own and their partner's higher relationship stigma scores were associated with lower relationship quality; however, among male partners, only their partner's greater relationship stigma scores were associated with lower relationship quality. Findings provide preliminary support for dyadic crossover effects of relationship stigma on the health of partners. Findings illustrate the importance of minority stress and dyadic stress frameworks in understanding and intervening upon mental health disparities among transgender women and their male partners. Couples-based interventions and treatment approaches to help transgender women and their male partners cope with minority stressors are warranted to improve the health and well-being of both partners.

Testing a healthcare provider-patient communicative relationship quality model of pharmaceutical care in hospitals.

PubMed

Wang, Dan; Liu, Chenxi; Zhang, Zinan; Ye, Liping; Zhang, Xinping

2018-06-01

Background Patient-centeredness and participatory care is increasingly regarded as a proxy for high-quality interpersonal care. Considering the development of patient-centeredness and participatory care relationship model in pharmacist-patient domain, it is of great significance to explore the mechanism of how pharmacist and patient participative behaviors influence relationship quality and patient outcomes. Objective To validate pharmacist-patient relationship quality model in Chinese hospitals. Four tertiary hospitals in 2017. Methods The provision of pharmaceutical care was investigated. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey covering different constructs of communicative relationship quality model was conducted and the associations among pairs of the study constructs were explored. Based on the results of confirmatory factor analysis, path analysis was conducted to validate the proposed communicative relationship quality model. Main outcome measure Model fit indicators including Tucker-Lewis index (TLI), comparative fit index (CFI), root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) and weighted root mean square residual(WRMR). Results There were 589 patients included in our study. The final path model had an excellent fit (TLI = 0.98, CFI = 0.98, RMSEA = 0.05; WRMR = 1.06). HCP participative behavior/patient-centeredness (β = 0.79, p < 0.001) and interpersonal communication (β = 0.13, p < 0.001) directly impact the communicative relationship quality. But patient participative behavior was not a predictor of either communicative relationship quality or patient satisfaction. Conclusion HCP participative behavior/patient-centeredness and interpersonal communication are positively related to relationship quality, and relationship quality is mediator between HCP participative behavior and interpersonal communication with patient satisfaction.

Positive and Negative Aspects of Relationship Quality and Unprotected Sex among Young Women.

PubMed

Brady, Sonya S; Gruber, Sandra K; Wolfson, Julian A

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine both positive and negative aspects of relationship quality in relation to condom use. Sexually active young women aged 14-18 years (n=111; 34% non-white) were recruited from community clinics and schools in the Midwest USA and provided data via an online survey. The number of unprotected sex acts in the past month with the most recent male partner was regressed on relationship quality with that partner, adjusting for demographics and other characteristics. Negative relationship quality was associated with a greater number of unprotected sex acts among women reporting a low level of positive relationship quality and among women taking hormonal/IUD contraception. Positive relationship quality was associated with unprotected sex among women who reported multiple partners in the past month. Both positive and negative aspects of relationship quality may confer risk for unprotected sex. This risk appears modified by patterns of contraceptive use and other sexual behaviours. Health professionals may be more effective in promoting condom use if they ask questions about both positive and negative aspects of young people's relationship quality and tailor their conversations based on the responses received.

Relationships between body image, sexual satisfaction, and relationship quality in romantic couples.

PubMed

van den Brink, Femke; Vollmann, Manja; Smeets, Monique A M; Hessen, David J; Woertman, Liesbeth

2018-03-08

Previous studies found important associations between body image, sexual satisfaction, and perceived romantic relationship quality, but mainly focused on one individual's perceptions rather than both partners. To take the interdependency of romantic partners into account, the present study examined these associations in romantic couples with a dyadic approach. In a cross-sectional design, 151 Dutch heterosexual couples completed an online survey measuring body image, sexual satisfaction, and perceived relationship quality. Hypotheses were tested using the actor-partner interdependence model (APIM) and an APIM extended with a mediator (APIMeM), with couple members' body image as predictors, couple members' sexual satisfaction as mediators, and couple members' relationship quality as outcomes. Results indicated that within individuals, a more positive body image was linked to higher perceived romantic relationship quality through greater sexual satisfaction. No gender differences were found, implying that body image and sexual satisfaction are equally strongly associated with perceived relationship quality in women and men. Results revealed no associations of an individual's body image and sexual satisfaction with the partner's perceived relationship quality. These findings implicate that interventions focusing on developing and maintaining a positive body image may be helpful in building on a more satisfying sex life and higher perceived relationship quality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Stress and Negative Relationship Quality among Older Couples: Implications for Blood Pressure

PubMed Central

Newton, Nicky J.; Cranford, James A.; Ryan, Lindsay H.

2016-01-01

Objectives: The cardiovascular system may represent a significant pathway by which marriage and stress influence health, but research has focused on married individuals cross-sectionally. This study examined associations among chronic stress, negative spousal relationship quality, and systolic blood pressure over time among middle-aged and older husbands and wives. Method: Participants were from the nationally representative longitudinal Health and Retirement Study. A total of 1,356 (N = 2,712) married and cohabitating couples completed psychosocial and biomeasure assessments in waves 2006 and 2010. Analyses examined whether Wave 1 (2006) relationship quality and stress were associated with changes in blood pressure over time. Results: The effects of stress and negative relationship quality were dyadic and varied by gender. Husbands had increased blood pressure when wives reported greater stress, and this link was exacerbated by negative spousal relationship quality. Negative relationship quality predicted increased blood pressure when both members of the couple reported negative quality relations. Discussion: Findings support the dyadic biopsychosocial model of marriage and health indicating: (a) stress and relationship quality directly effect the cardiovascular system, (b) relationship quality moderates the effect of stress, and (c) the dyad rather than only the individual should be considered when examining marriage and health. PMID:25852106

Parent-child relationships of boys in different offending trajectories. A developmental perspective

PubMed Central

Keijsers, Loes; Loeber, Rolf; Branje, Susan; Meeus, Wim

2012-01-01

Background This study tested the theoretical assumption that transformations of parent-child relationships in late childhood and adolescence would differ for boys following different offending trajectories. Methods Using longitudinal multiinformant data of 503 boys (ages 7–19), we conducted Growth Mixture Modeling to extract offending trajectories. Developmental changes in child reports of parent-child joint activities and relationship quality were examined using Latent Growth Curves. Results Five offending trajectories were found: non-offenders, moderate childhood offenders, adolescent-limited offenders, serious childhood offenders, and serious persistent offenders. Non-offenders reported high and stable levels of relationship quality between age 10 and 16. Adolescent-limited offenders reported a similarly high relationship quality as non-offenders at ages 7 and 10, but a lower and decreasing relationship quality in adolescence. Compared with non-offenders, serious persistent offenders reported poorer parent-child relationship quality at all ages, and a decreasing relationship quality in adolescence. Serious persistent offenders and adolescent-limited offenders reported similar levels and changes in parent-child relationship quality in adolescence. Although serious persistent offenders reported fewer joint activities at age 10 and 13 than non-offenders, a similar linear decrease in joint activities in early to middle adolescence was found for boys in each trajectory. Conclusion Developmental changes in parent-child relationship quality differ for different types of offenders. This finding has scientific and practical implications. PMID:22816682

Reactive, anxious and possessive forms of jealousy and their relation to relationship quality among heterosexuals and homosexuals.

PubMed

Barelds, Dick P H; Dijkstra, Pieternel

2006-01-01

The present study examined the relationship between relational quality and three different types of jealousy-reactive, anxious and possessive jealousy. The sample consisted of 76 gay men, 79 lesbians, 70 heterosexual women and 70 heterosexual men. Findings show that different types of jealousy affect relationship quality differently and do so differently for homosexuals and heterosexuals. Among heterosexuals and especially gay men--but not among lesbians--anxious jealousy was negatively related to relationship quality. In contrast, among heterosexuals--but not among gay men or lesbians--reactive jealousy was positively related to relationship quality. The present study shows that distinguishing between different types of jealousy is necessary to entangle the diverse effects of jealousy on the quality of homosexual and heterosexual relationships.

The Correlates of Conflict: Disagreement Is Not Necessarily Detrimental

PubMed Central

Adams, Ryan E.; Laursen, Brett

2008-01-01

In this study, the authors examined whether concurrent associations between adolescent outcomes and disagreements with mothers, fathers, and best friends vary as a function of perceived relationship quality. Participants were 469 11- to 18-year-old youths from a culturally diverse community. Negative qualities of parent–adolescent and friend relationships were linked to adjustment problems (aggression, anxiety and depression, delinquency, and withdrawal). Positive qualities of parent–adolescent relationships were linked to school grades and adjustment problems. Nonlinear associations between conflict and adolescent outcomes were moderated by negative qualities of relationships such that increases in conflict from low to moderate levels were linked to (a) higher school grades for adolescents in better but not poorer quality relationships and (b) greater delinquency and withdrawal for adolescents in poorer but not better quality relationships. PMID:17874930

Paternal and maternal influences on family functioning among Hong Kong Chinese families.

PubMed

Shek, D T

2001-03-01

The linkages between dyadic relationships in the family and family functioning were examined in 378 Chinese families on two occasions. The following dyadic relationships were investigated: (a) parent-child relationship qualities reported by adolescent children (questionnaire and interview measures of parenting style, parent-adolescent conflict, parent-adolescent communication, and parent-adolescent relationship) and by their parents (questionnaire measures of parent-child relationship quality and demand); and (b) marital quality reported by the parents via questionnaire measures. Results showed that parents' and children's views of family functioning were longitudinally related to dyadic relationships in the family. Relative to mother-adolescent relationship and mothers' report of marital quality, father-adolescent relationship and fathers' report of marital quality were generally found to have a stronger association with perception of family functioning and its change over time.

The Relationship Between Professional Burnout and Quality and Safety in Healthcare: A Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Salyers, Michelle P; Bonfils, Kelsey A; Luther, Lauren; Firmin, Ruth L; White, Dominique A; Adams, Erin L; Rollins, Angela L

2017-04-01

Healthcare provider burnout is considered a factor in quality of care, yet little is known about the consistency and magnitude of this relationship. This meta-analysis examined relationships between provider burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment) and the quality (perceived quality, patient satisfaction) and safety of healthcare. Publications were identified through targeted literature searches in Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses through March of 2015. Two coders extracted data to calculate effect sizes and potential moderators. We calculated Pearson's r for all independent relationships between burnout and quality measures, using a random effects model. Data were assessed for potential impact of study rigor, outliers, and publication bias. Eighty-two studies including 210,669 healthcare providers were included. Statistically significant negative relationships emerged between burnout and quality (r = -0.26, 95 % CI [-0.29, -0.23]) and safety (r = -0.23, 95 % CI [-0.28, -0.17]). In both cases, the negative relationship implied that greater burnout among healthcare providers was associated with poorer-quality healthcare and reduced safety for patients. Moderators for the quality relationship included dimension of burnout, unit of analysis, and quality data source. Moderators for the relationship between burnout and safety were safety indicator type, population, and country. Rigor of the study was not a significant moderator. This is the first study to systematically, quantitatively analyze the links between healthcare provider burnout and healthcare quality and safety across disciplines. Provider burnout shows consistent negative relationships with perceived quality (including patient satisfaction), quality indicators, and perceptions of safety. Though the effects are small to medium, the findings highlight the importance of effective burnout interventions for healthcare providers. Moderator analyses suggest contextual factors to consider for future study.

An Exploratory Investigation of the Role of Openness in Relationship Quality among Emerging Adult Chinese Couples

PubMed Central

Zhou, Yixin; Wang, Kexin; Chen, Shuang; Zhang, Jianxin; Zhou, Mingjie

2017-01-01

This study tested emerging adult couples’ openness and its fit effect on their romantic relationship quality using quadratic polynomial regression and response surface analysis. Participants were 260 emerging adult dyads. Both dyads’ openness and relationship quality were measured. The result showed that (1) female and male openness contribute differently to relationship quality; (2) couples with similar high openness could experience better relationship quality than those with similar low openness traits; and (3) when dyadic openness is dissimilar, it is better to be either relatively high or relatively low than to be moderate. These findings highlight the role of openness in emerging adults’ romantic relationships from a dyadic angle. PMID:28360875

Pre-adoptive Factors Predicting Lesbian, Gay, and Heterosexual Couples’ Relationship Quality Across the Transition to Adoptive Parenthood

PubMed Central

Goldberg, Abbie E.; Smith, JuliAnna Z.; Kashy, Deborah A.

2010-01-01

The current study examined pre-adoptive factors as predictors of relationship quality (love, ambivalence, and conflict) among 125 couples (44 lesbian couples, 30 gay couples, and 51 heterosexual couples) across the first year of adoptive parenthood. On average, all new parents experienced declines in their relationship quality across the first year of parenthood, regardless of sexual orientation, with women experiencing steeper declines in love. Parents who, pre-adoption, reported higher levels of depression, greater use of avoidant coping, lower levels of relationship maintenance behaviors, and less satisfaction with their adoption agencies reported lower relationship quality at the time of the adoption. The effect of avoidant coping on relationship quality varied by gender. Parents who, pre-adoption, reported higher levels of depression, greater use of confrontative coping, and higher levels of relationship maintenance behaviors reported greater declines in relationship quality. These findings have implications for professionals who work with adoptive parents both pre- and post-adoption. PMID:20545395

'Both parents should care for babies': A cross-sectional, cross-cultural comparison of adolescents' breastfeeding intentions, and the influence of shared-parenting beliefs.

PubMed

Swanson, Vivien; Hannula, Leena; Eriksson, Linda; Wallin, Malin Häggkvist; Strutton, Joan

2017-06-29

Many young men and women expect to co-parent their newborn infant. This may have a positive or negative impact on decisions to breastfeed, which is an important health behaviour, influenced by cultural and psycho-social norms. We investigated the relationship between shared parenting, infant feeding beliefs and intentions in male and female (non-parent) adolescents, comparing Nordic countries (Sweden, Norway, Finland) with high breastfeeding rates with others with low rates (Scotland, USA). We utilised cross-sectional surveys of male and female adolescents (n = 1064, age 12-18) administered directly in schools or via the internet. We assessed attitudes to breast and formula feeding and shared parenting, using a Theory of Planned Behaviour framework, assessing beliefs, attitudes, norms and control as predictors of intention. Male and female adolescents' breastfeeding intentions varied in line with national cultural norms. Young people from Nordic countries (high breastfeeding rates) were significantly more likely to intend to breastfeed than those from Scotland or the USA (low breastfeeding rates). Positive beliefs about breastfeeding, norms and 'exposure' to breastfeeding and feeding confidence were consistently stronger in Nordic countries, whereas young people in Scotland had more positive beliefs, norms and 'exposure' to formula feeding. Differences in parenting beliefs, norms and confidence were less consistent. In logistic regression, cultural group, positive breastfeeding beliefs and exposure, norms, and shared parenting beliefs were significant predictors of breastfeeding feeding intention. Positive beliefs about shared parenting and equal gender norms were related to future breastfeeding intentions for female and male adolescents. Health education programmes for young people could encourage positive breastfeeding choices by considering how this would fit with young people's ideal parenting roles, and by emphasising benefits of complementary maternal and paternal roles in breastfeeding newborn infants.

Enhancing Father Engagement and Interparental Teamwork in an Evidence-Based Parenting Intervention: A Randomized-Controlled Trial of Outcomes and Processes.

PubMed

Frank, Tenille J; Keown, Louise J; Sanders, Matthew R

2015-11-01

This study examined the outcomes and process in a positive parenting program adapted to enhance father engagement and teamwork. A randomized control trial of the Group Triple P Program with additional father-relevant content was conducted with 42 families of children with conduct problems aged between 3 to 8years. Families were allocated to either the intervention or waitlist condition. Assessments of child behavior, self- and partner-reported parenting, and the interparental relationship were conducted at T1 (pre), T2 (post), and T3 (6-month follow-up). Observations were used to examine fathers' and mothers' unique and shared contributions to group process during participation in parenting group sessions. Following program completion (T2) intervention group fathers and mothers reported significantly fewer child behavior problems, dysfunctional parenting practices, and interparental conflict about child-rearing than waitlist parents. Intervention group mothers also reported increased parenting confidence and rated their partners as showing significantly fewer dysfunctional parenting practices. Intervention effects were maintained at 6-month follow-up. Observational data showed that fathers and mothers made similar contributions during the group sessions. The most frequent types of contributions were asking questions and sharing information with other parents about implementing parenting strategies. The key differences between parents were fathers' more frequent use of humor and mothers' more frequent sharing of personal stories and reporting co-parenting cooperation. The levels of session attendance and program satisfaction were high for both fathers and mothers. Findings highlight the potential benefits of efforts to engage both fathers and mothers for program adherence, satisfaction, and effectiveness. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Functional Connectivity of the Amygdala in Early Childhood Onset Depression

PubMed Central

Luking, Katherine R.; Repovs, Grega; Belden, Andy C.; Gaffrey, Michael S.; Botteron, Kelly N.; Luby, Joan L.; Barch, Deanna M.

2011-01-01

Objective Adult major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with reduced cortico-limbic functional connectivity thought to indicate decreased top-down control of emotion. However, it is unclear whether such connectivity alterations are also present in early childhood onset MDD. Method Fifty-one children ages 7–11 years, prospectively studied since preschool age, completed resting state fMRI and were assigned to four groups: 1) C-MDD (N=13) personal history of early childhood onset MDD; 2) M-MDD (N=11) a maternal history of affective disorders; 3) CM-MDD (N=13) both maternal and early childhood onset MDD or 4) CON (N=14) without either a personal or maternal history. We used seed-based resting state functional connectivity (rsfcMRI) analysis in an independent sample of adults to identify networks showing both positive (e.g., limbic regions) and negative (e.g., dorsal frontal/parietal regions) connectivity with the amygdala. These regions were then used in ROI based analyses of our child sample. Results We found a significant interaction between maternal affective disorder history and the child's MDD history for both positive and negative rsfcMRI networks. Specifically, when copared to CON, we found reduced connectivity between the amygdala and the “Negative Network” in children with C-MDD, M-MDD and CM-MDD. Children with either C-MDD or a maternal history of MDD (but not CM-MDD) displayed reduced connectivity between the amygdala and the “Positive Network”. Conclusions Our finding of an attenuated relationship between the amygdala, a region affected in MDD and involved in emotion processing, and cognitive control regions is consistent with a hypothesis of altered regulation of emotional processing in C-MDD suggesting developmental continuity of this alteration into early childhood. PMID:21961777

Teacher Loyalty of Elementary Schools in Taiwan: The Contribution of Gratitude and Relationship Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ting, Shueh-Chin; Yeh, Liang-Yin

2014-01-01

Gratitude was an important missing factor in the extant relationship quality and relationship loyalty model. We introduced gratitude into the model of relationship quality and relationship loyalty. Two hundred and eighteen teachers from elementary schools in Taiwan were used to conduct an empirical research. The results show that teachers'…

Configurations of Adolescents' Peer Experiences: Associations With Parent-Child Relationship Quality and Parental Problem Behavior.

PubMed

Kretschmer, Tina; Sentse, Miranda; Meeus, Wim; Verhulst, Frank C; Veenstra, René; Oldehinkel, Albertine J

2016-09-01

Adolescents' peer experiences embrace behavior, relationship quality, status, and victimization, but studies that account for multiple dimensions are rare. Using latent profile modeling and measures of peer behavior, relationship quality, peer status, and victimization assessed from 1,677 adolescents, four profiles were identified: High Quality, Low Quality, Low Quality Victimized, and Deviant Peers. Multinomial logistic regressions showed that negative parent-child relationships in preadolescence reduced the likelihood of High Quality peer relations in mid-adolescence but only partly differentiated between the other three profiles. Moderation by gender was partly found with girls showing greater sensitivity to parent-child relationship quality with respect to peer experiences. Results underline the multifaceted nature of peer experiences, and practical and theoretical implications are discussed. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Research on Adolescence © 2015 Society for Research on Adolescence.

Brief report: how adolescent personality moderates the effect of love history on the young adulthood romantic relationship quality?

PubMed

Yu, Rongqin; Branje, Susan; Keijsers, Loes; Meeus, Wim

2014-07-01

This study examined the effect of previous romantic relationship involvement on later romantic relationship quality and tested whether adolescents' personality type (i.e., overcontrollers, undercontrollers, resilients) moderated this link. We answered our research questions in a sample of 320 Dutch participants (213 girls) who had a romantic relationship when they were 21 years old. At 12 years of age, their personality types were identified. At 21 years of age, participants reported their current romantic relationship quality (i.e., commitment, exploration, and reconsideration) and indicated the number of romantic relationships they had before. No main effects of the number of romantic relationships on current romantic relationship quality were found. There were significant interaction effects between personality types and the number of romantic relationships on romantic relationship quality. With more romantic relationship experiences, undercontrollers committed less to and explored less in their current romantic relationship. No such link was found for resilients and overcontrollers. Copyright © 2014 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In-law Relationships Before and After Marriage

PubMed Central

Fingerman, Karen L.; Gilligan, Megan; VanderDrift, Laura; Pitzer, Lindsay

2013-01-01

Relationships with in-laws play an important role in individuals’ lives, but we do not know how these ties are formed. We considered two pathways through which early relationships with mothers-in-laws may affect subsequent in-law relationship qualities: a) dimensions of the early relationship and, b) beliefs and expectations of the future relationship. Sixty men and women engaged to be married and their mothers (N = 240) completed interviews prior to, and 6 to 8 months following the wedding. Measures at Time 1 assessed three dimensions of the in-law relationship: a) behavioral (contact by phone, in person), b) emotional (positive and negative relationship qualities), and c) cognitive (knowledge about the other person). Participants also described positive and negative expectations of their future tie. Multilevel models revealed that dimensions of the tie prior to the marriage were associated with post-wedding in-law relationship qualities. When the parties had individual contact with one another and positive feelings before the wedding, ties were stronger following the wedding. Data from open-ended descriptions of negative expectations obtained before the wedding predicted negative relationship qualities after the wedding. Husbands, wives, and mothers-in-law showed similar patterns with regard to relationship qualities. Discussion focuses on the role of early emotional qualities of the in-law tie for subsequent in-law relationships. PMID:23794954

Gender minority stress, mental health, and relationship quality: A dyadic investigation of transgender women and their cisgender male partners

PubMed Central

Gamarel, Kristi E.; Reisner, Sari L.; Laurenceau, Jean-Philippe; Nemoto, Tooru; Operario, Don

2014-01-01

Research has demonstrated associations between experiences of discrimination, relationship quality, and mental health. However, critical questions remain unanswered with regard to how stigma enacted and experienced at the dyadic-level influences relationship quality and mental health for transgender women and their cisgender (non-transgender) male partners. The present study sought to examine how experiences of transgender-related discrimination (i.e., unfair treatment, harassment) and relationship stigma (i.e., the real or anticipated fear of rejection based on one’s romantic affiliation), were associated with both partners relationship quality and mental health. Couples (N=191) were recruited to participate in cross-sectional survey. Actor-partner interdependence models (APIM) were fit to examine the influence of minority stressors on clinically significant depressive distress and relationship quality. For both partners, financial hardship, discrimination, and relationship stigma were associated with an increased odds of depressive distress. For both partners, financial hardship was associated with lower relationship quality. Among transgender women, their own and their partner’s higher relationship stigma scores were associated with lower relationship quality; however, among male partners, only their partner’s greater relationship stigma scores were associated with lower relationship quality. Findings provide preliminary support for dyadic crossover effects of relationship stigma on the health of partners. Findings illustrate the importance of minority stress and dyadic stress frameworks in understanding and intervening upon mental health disparities among transgender women and their male partners. Couples-based interventions and treatment approaches to help transgender women and their male partners cope with minority stressors are warranted to improve the health and well-being of both partners. PMID:24932942

Social relationships and depression: ten-year follow-up from a nationally representative study.

PubMed

Teo, Alan R; Choi, Hwajung; Valenstein, Marcia

2013-01-01

Social network characteristics have long been associated with mental health, but their longitudinal impact on depression is less known. We determined whether quality of social relationships and social isolation predicts the development of depression. The sample consisted of a cohort of 4,642 American adults age 25-75 who completed surveys at baseline in 1995-1996 and at ten-year follow-up. Quality of relationships was assessed with non-overlapping scales of social support and social strain and a summary measure of relationship quality. Social isolation was measured by presence of a partner and reported frequency of social contact. The primary outcome was past year major depressive episode at ten-year follow-up. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted, adjusting for the presence of potential confounders. Risk of depression was significantly greater among those with baseline social strain (OR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.47-2.70), lack of social support (OR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.37-2.35), and poor overall relationship quality (OR 2.60; 95% CI, 1.84-3.69). Those with the lowest overall quality of social relationships had more than double the risk of depression (14.0%; 95% CI, 12.0-16.0; p<.001) than those with the highest quality (6.7%; 95% CI, 5.3-8.1; p<.001). Poor quality of relationship with spouse/partner and family each independently increased risk of depression. Social isolation did not predict future depression, nor did it moderate the effect of relationship quality. Quality of social relationships is a major risk factor for major depression. Depression interventions should consider targeting individuals with low quality of social relationships.

Social Relationships and Depression: Ten-Year Follow-Up from a Nationally Representative Study

PubMed Central

Teo, Alan R.; Choi, HwaJung; Valenstein, Marcia

2013-01-01

Background Social network characteristics have long been associated with mental health, but their longitudinal impact on depression is less known. We determined whether quality of social relationships and social isolation predicts the development of depression. Methods The sample consisted of a cohort of 4,642 American adults age 25–75 who completed surveys at baseline in 1995–1996 and at ten-year follow-up. Quality of relationships was assessed with non-overlapping scales of social support and social strain and a summary measure of relationship quality. Social isolation was measured by presence of a partner and reported frequency of social contact. The primary outcome was past year major depressive episode at ten-year follow-up. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted, adjusting for the presence of potential confounders. Results Risk of depression was significantly greater among those with baseline social strain (OR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.47–2.70), lack of social support (OR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.37–2.35), and poor overall relationship quality (OR 2.60; 95% CI, 1.84–3.69). Those with the lowest overall quality of social relationships had more than double the risk of depression (14.0%; 95% CI, 12.0–16.0; p<.001) than those with the highest quality (6.7%; 95% CI, 5.3–8.1; p<.001). Poor quality of relationship with spouse/partner and family each independently increased risk of depression. Social isolation did not predict future depression, nor did it moderate the effect of relationship quality. Conclusions Quality of social relationships is a major risk factor for major depression. Depression interventions should consider targeting individuals with low quality of social relationships. PMID:23646128

Personality Effects on Romantic Relationship Quality through Friendship Quality: A Ten-Year Longitudinal Study in Youths

PubMed Central

Yu, Rongqin; Branje, Susan; Keijsers, Loes; Meeus, Wim H. J.

2014-01-01

This study examined whether individuals with different personality types (i.e., overcontrollers, undercontrollers, resilients) had different friendship quality development throughout adolescence. It also investigated whether personality types were indirectly related to romantic relationship quality in young adulthood, via friendship quality development in adolescence. The study employed six waves of longitudinal questionnaire data from Dutch youths who had a romantic relationship when they were young adults. Two age cohorts were followed, from 12 to 21 years and from 16 to 25 years, respectively. Findings showed that resilients reported higher mean levels of friendship quality during adolescence (i.e., more support from, less negative interaction with and less dominance from their best friend) than both overcontrollers and undercontrollers. Through the mean levels of friendship quality throughout adolescence, resilients indirectly experienced higher romantic relationship quality during young adulthood than both overcontrollers and undercontrollers. Thus, results provide support for a developmental model in which adolescent friendship quality is a mechanism linking personality types with young adulthood romantic relationship quality. PMID:25232964

Conflict, social support, and relationship quality: an observational study of heterosexual, gay male, and lesbian couples' communication.

PubMed

Julien, Danielle; Chartrand, Elise; Simard, Marie-Claude; Bouthillier, Donald; Bégin, Jean

2003-09-01

Data from 42 heterosexual, 46 gay male, and 33 lesbian couples were used to assess the contribution of conflict and support discussions to relationship quality. Couples completed questionnaires, and videotaped discussions were coded for levels of negative and positive behaviors. Correlations showed that behaviors were associated with relationship quality in the expected directions. Hierarchical linear modeling analyses assessed the unique contributions of individual and dyadic behaviors to the variability of relationship quality. The findings indicated that, beyond the contribution of individual negative behaviors in the conflict task, the variables of dyadic positive behaviors in the conflict task, individual positive behaviors in the support task, and perceived help accounted for unexplained variance in relationship quality. There were no differences between types of couples on levels of behaviors or on their contributions to relationship quality.

Living and Loving “Decent”: Religion and Relationship Quality among Urban Parents◇

PubMed Central

Wilcox, W. Bradford; Wolfinger, Nicholas H.

2008-01-01

Religious participation is linked to overall satisfaction among both married and unmarried couples in urban America. Less is known about what may account for the association between religious participation and relationship quality. We explore this issue using data from the first two waves of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. Relationship-related behaviors (e.g., temperance) and relationship-specific behaviors (e.g., affection) can each account for the association between church attendance and relationship quality. Furthermore, religious participation appears to be more tightly linked to men's perceptions of relationship quality than women's. PMID:18784851

Quality of Life and Coping Strategies in Coronary Heart Disease Patients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yazdi, Seyedeh-Monavar; Hosseinian, Simin; Eslami, Mansoure; Fathi-Ashtiani, Ali

This study aims to find the relationship between quality of life and coping strategies in coronary heart disease patients. Two hundred coronary heart disease patients at Tehran Heart Center, who had been diagnosed with the disease 3 months before, were selected and filled out The Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS) and Quality of Life-SF36. Results showed a discrepancy between quality of life indices and coping strategies. Task-oriented strategy had a positive and significant relationship with total quality of life and PF indices while it had a negative and significant relationship with MH, RE and RP indices. Emotional-oriented strategy had a positive and significant relationship with RP and RE indices while it had a negative and significant relationship with PF, GH, PH, total psychological health and total quality of life indices. Avoidance-oriented strategy had a negative and significant relationship only with MH index. Furthermore, quality of life aspects (physical and psychological) had a positive and significant relationship with emotional-oriented strategy, but it did not have a significant relationship with task-oriented and avoidance-oriented strategies. Also, the social aspect of quality of life did not have a significant relationship with any of the strategies. Considering the effect of stress on decreasing the quality of life, we recommend a psychologist train coping strategies to coronary heart disease patients along with medical treatments in order to improve recovery, maintain health and reduce recurrence.

Under which conditions can introverts achieve happiness? Mediation and moderation effects of the quality of social relationships and emotion regulation ability on happiness

PubMed Central

Cabello, Rosario

2015-01-01

Personality traits have been directly associated with happiness. One consistent finding is a strong link between extraversion and happiness: extraverts are happier than introverts. Although happy introverts exist, it is currently unclear under what conditions they can achieve happiness. The present study analyzes, generally, how the quality of social relationships and emotion regulation ability influence happiness and, specifically, how these factors can lead introverts to be happy. In the present study, 1,006 participants aged 18–80 (42% males) completed measures of extraversion, neuroticism, quality of social relationships, emotion regulation ability, and happiness. We found that extraverts had significantly higher happiness, quality of social relationships and emotion regulation ability scores than introverts. In addition, people with high quality social relationships or high emotion regulation ability were happier. Serial mediation analyses indicated that greater levels of extraversion were associated with greater happiness, with small effect size, via two indirect mechanisms: (a) higher quality of social relationships, and (b) higher quality of social relationships followed serially by higher emotion regulation ability. We also found a moderating effect due to the three-way interaction of extraversion, quality of social relationships, and emotion regulation ability: introverts were happier when they had high scores for these two variables, though the effect size was small. These results suggest that the quality of social relationships and emotion regulation ability are relevant to our understanding of complex associations between extraversion and happiness. PMID:26500814

Under which conditions can introverts achieve happiness? Mediation and moderation effects of the quality of social relationships and emotion regulation ability on happiness.

PubMed

Cabello, Rosario; Fernandez-Berrocal, Pablo

2015-01-01

Personality traits have been directly associated with happiness. One consistent finding is a strong link between extraversion and happiness: extraverts are happier than introverts. Although happy introverts exist, it is currently unclear under what conditions they can achieve happiness. The present study analyzes, generally, how the quality of social relationships and emotion regulation ability influence happiness and, specifically, how these factors can lead introverts to be happy. In the present study, 1,006 participants aged 18-80 (42% males) completed measures of extraversion, neuroticism, quality of social relationships, emotion regulation ability, and happiness. We found that extraverts had significantly higher happiness, quality of social relationships and emotion regulation ability scores than introverts. In addition, people with high quality social relationships or high emotion regulation ability were happier. Serial mediation analyses indicated that greater levels of extraversion were associated with greater happiness, with small effect size, via two indirect mechanisms: (a) higher quality of social relationships, and (b) higher quality of social relationships followed serially by higher emotion regulation ability. We also found a moderating effect due to the three-way interaction of extraversion, quality of social relationships, and emotion regulation ability: introverts were happier when they had high scores for these two variables, though the effect size was small. These results suggest that the quality of social relationships and emotion regulation ability are relevant to our understanding of complex associations between extraversion and happiness.

Relationship factors and quality among mixed-orientation couples.

PubMed

Kays, Jill L; Yarhouse, Mark A; Ripley, Jennifer S

2014-01-01

Mixed-orientation couples are defined as a heterosexual couple in which 1 partner experiences same-sex attraction and the other does not. Despite the fact that there is a sizable number of mixed-orientation couples in the U.S. adult population, few researchers have studied this population, and thus, there is limited understanding of these relationships. The authors examined the degree to which relationship commitment, partner-focused forgivingness, and marital values were associated with relationship quality, and how these variables predicted relationship quality. The total sample (N = 265) consisted of 2 independent samples-105 sexual minorities (i.e., the spouse who experiences same-sex attraction) and 160 heterosexual spouses. The data were not dyadic. Together, commitment, partner-focused forgivingness, and marital values accounted for roughly 43% of the variance in relationship quality. Relationship commitment was found to be the largest single predictor of relationship quality, followed by partner-focused forgivingness. Research and clinical implications are discussed. This study significantly adds to the current research base by quantitatively measuring various variables in these relationships, as well as expanding our understanding of relationship quality in mixed-orientation couples and factors that may play a role.

Is it all bleak? A systematic review of factors contributing to relationship change in dementia.

PubMed

Conway, Erin R; Watson, Brittany; Tatangelo, Gemma; McCabe, Marita

2018-04-18

ABSTRACTBackground:The care of community-dwelling people with dementia often occurs in the context of pre-existing family relationships. The presence of dementia can result in changes to the quality of those relationships. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify factors that enhance or challenge the quality of spousal or offspring relationships in the context of dementia. Both qualitative and quantitative studies were included in a systematic review of the literature. Thematic analysis of results was conducted that examined factors related to the relationship quality of community dwelling people with dementia and their spousal or offspring carer. Meta-analysis was not possible due to the heterogeneity of the included studies. Four themes were extracted from seven qualitative studies: connection to the carer role; identity of the people with dementia; current efforts to maintain relationship connection; and the dyads response to dementia. Each of these four themes incorporated positive and negative facets that impacted on relationship quality. An analysis of nine quantitative and one mixed methods studies identified four domains: influence of dementia characteristics; connection within the dyad; relationship response to stress and carer burden; and carer demographic factors. The findings of this review highlight relationship factors that are important for supporting relationship quality for the people with dementia and the carer individually, as well as for the dyad together. These findings extend an existing framework of relationship quality in dementia. Implications for interventions to enhance relationship quality in the dementia context are discussed.

Stress and Negative Relationship Quality among Older Couples: Implications for Blood Pressure.

PubMed

Birditt, Kira S; Newton, Nicky J; Cranford, James A; Ryan, Lindsay H

2016-09-01

The cardiovascular system may represent a significant pathway by which marriage and stress influence health, but research has focused on married individuals cross-sectionally. This study examined associations among chronic stress, negative spousal relationship quality, and systolic blood pressure over time among middle-aged and older husbands and wives. Participants were from the nationally representative longitudinal Health and Retirement Study. A total of 1,356 (N = 2,712) married and cohabitating couples completed psychosocial and biomeasure assessments in waves 2006 and 2010. Analyses examined whether Wave 1 (2006) relationship quality and stress were associated with changes in blood pressure over time. The effects of stress and negative relationship quality were dyadic and varied by gender. Husbands had increased blood pressure when wives reported greater stress, and this link was exacerbated by negative spousal relationship quality. Negative relationship quality predicted increased blood pressure when both members of the couple reported negative quality relations. Findings support the dyadic biopsychosocial model of marriage and health indicating: (a) stress and relationship quality directly effect the cardiovascular system, (b) relationship quality moderates the effect of stress, and (c) the dyad rather than only the individual should be considered when examining marriage and health. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

How sacrifice impacts the giver and the recipient: insights from approach-avoidance motivational theory.

PubMed

Impett, Emily A; Gere, Judith; Kogan, Aleksandr; Gordon, Amie M; Keltner, Dacher

2014-10-01

This study investigated how sacrificing for approach versus avoidance goals shapes the giver's and the recipient's emotions and relationship quality. A sample of 80 dating couples participated in a three-part study in which they discussed sacrifice in the laboratory (Part 1), reported on their daily sacrifices for 14 days (Part 2), and completed a follow-up survey 3 months later (Part 3). When partners discussed a sacrifice they had made for approach goals, they experienced greater relationship quality, whereas when they discussed a sacrifice they had made for avoidance goals, they experienced poorer relationship quality. These effects were replicated with outside observer reports. On days when partners sacrificed for approach goals, both partners experienced increased relationship quality, but on days when people sacrificed for avoidance goals, the giver experienced decreased relationship quality. These effects were mediated by positive and negative emotions, respectively. Approach sacrifice goals predicted increases in relationship quality and avoidance sacrifice goals predicted decreases in relationship quality, as reported by both partners 3 months later. Sacrifice per se does not help or harm relationships, but the goals that people pursue when they give up their own interests can critically shape the quality of intimate bonds. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Headache-specific locus of control and migraine-related quality of life: understanding the role of anxiety

PubMed Central

Grinberg, Amy S.; Seng, Elizabeth K.

2017-01-01

Purpose This study examined the relationship between headache-specific locus of control (HSLC) and migraine-related quality of life, and anxiety as a mediator of this relationship. Methods Two hundred and thirty-two people with severe migraine participated in the Treatment of Severe Migraine trial. At baseline, participants completed self-report questionnaires of headache-specific locus of control (HSLC; subscales = Internal, Chance, and Medical Professionals), anxiety, and migraine-related quality of life. Correlations examined relationships between HSLC, anxiety, and migraine-related quality of life; ordinary least squares regression evaluated anxiety as a mediator of the relationship between HSLC and migraine-related quality of life. Results Higher internal HSLC was related to higher overall migraine-related quality of life (ps < .05) and emotion function impairments (p = .012). Anxiety mediated the relationship between internal HSLC and all measures of migraine-specific quality of life (ps < .05). Higher external (medical professionals and chance) HSLC was related to higher migraine-related quality of life impairments (all ps < .001). Conclusions All HSLC beliefs are associated with higher migraine-related quality of life impairments. Anxiety mediates the relationship between internal HSLC and migraine-related quality of life. PMID:27488417

Women’s Agency and the Quality of Family Relationships in India

PubMed Central

Allendorf, Keera

2016-01-01

The role of family context in determining women’s agency has been addressed through kinship patterns, household structure, and domestic violence. This study suggests that another aspect of family context – family relationship quality – can also influence women’s agency. Data from the Women’s Reproductive Histories Survey, collected in Madhya Pradesh, India, are used to examine whether family relationship quality is a determinant of women’s agency. Results show that women with higher quality relationships with husbands and parents-in-law do have greater agency. Further, family relationship quality is just as influential as other well known determinants of agency, including education and employment. PMID:27147776

What's love got to do with it: Relationship functioning and mental and physical quality of life among pregnant adolescent couples.

PubMed

Kershaw, Trace; Murphy, Alexandrea; Divney, Anna; Magriples, Urania; Niccolai, Linda; Gordon, Derrick

2013-12-01

The study objective was to describe relationship adjustment and its association with mental and physical quality of life for young couples expecting a baby. 296 young pregnant couples recruited from urban obstetric clinics reported on relationship strengths (e.g., equity, romantic love, and attractiveness), relationship risks (e.g., attachment, intimate partner violence), external family support, relationship adjustment, and mental and physical quality of life. Using the Actor Partner Interdependence Model we assessed both actor and partner effects of relationship variables on relationship adjustment and quality of life. Sixty-one percent of couples had at least one member with moderate or severe relationship distress. Lower attachment avoidance, lower attachment anxiety, higher relationship equity, lack of intimate partner violence, feelings of love, perceived partner attractiveness, and family support of the relationship related to better relationship adjustment. Associations were fairly consistent across gender. Better relationship adjustment related to more positive mental and physical quality of life for both young women and men. Our results highlight the potential importance of strong relationships on the well-being of expecting parents. Our results suggest that secure attachments, equitable relationships, feelings of love, and a lack of violence may be particularly important in having strong relationships and improved mental and physical health during pregnancy.

What’s Love Got to Do with It: Relationship Functioning and Mental and Physical Quality of Life Among Pregnant Adolescent Couples

PubMed Central

Murphy, Alexandrea; Divney, Anna; Magriples, Urania; Niccolai, Linda; Gordon, Derrick

2014-01-01

The study objective was to describe relationship adjustment and its association with mental and physical quality of life for young couples expecting a baby. 296 young pregnant couples recruited from urban obstetric clinics reported on relationship strengths (e.g., equity, romantic love, and attractiveness), relationship risks (e.g., attachment, intimate partner violence), external family support, relationship adjustment, and mental and physical quality of life. Using the Actor Partner Interdependence Model we assessed both actor and partner effects of relationship variables on relationship adjustment and quality of life. Sixty-one percent of couples had at least one member with moderate or severe relationship distress. Lower attachment avoidance, lower attachment anxiety, higher relationship equity, lack of intimate partner violence, feelings of love, perceived partner attractiveness, and family support of the relationship related to better relationship adjustment. Associations were fairly consistent across gender. Better relationship adjustment related to more positive mental and physical quality of life for both young women and men. Our results highlight the potential importance of strong relationships on the well-being of expecting parents. Our results suggest that secure attachments, equitable relationships, feelings of love, and a lack of violence may be particularly important in having strong relationships and improved mental and physical health during pregnancy. PMID:24091562

Relationship Quality Buffers Association Between Co-rumination and Depressive Symptoms Among First Year College Students.

PubMed

Guassi Moreira, João F; Miernicki, Michelle E; Telzer, Eva H

2016-03-01

Co-rumination, the tendency to dwell on negative events and feelings with a relationship partner, is an aspect of relationships that has been associated with socioemotional adjustment tradeoffs and is found to be associated with depressive symptoms. However, depending on the context in which it occurs, co-rumination is not necessarily associated with detriments to mental well-being. Differences in relationship quality within certain relationships may explain why co-rumination is not always associated with depressive symptoms. In the current study, we utilized self-report measures in an ethnically diverse sample (53.5 % non-White) of 307 first term college students (65 % female) in order to elucidate how co-rumination between roommates may be associated with depressive symptoms. We found that the association between co-rumination and depressive symptoms was moderated by relationship quality such that co-rumination in a high quality relationship was not associated with depressive symptoms whereas the opposite was true in low quality relationships. Moreover, we found moderated mediation, such that the variance in the association between co-rumination and depressive symptoms was explained via self-esteem, but only for those co-ruminating within a low quality relationship. These results suggest that relationship quality may impact the extent to which co-rumination is associated with depressive symptoms among first year college students.

Parental leave for residents and pediatric training programs.

PubMed

2013-02-01

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is committed to the development of rational, equitable, and effective parental leave policies that are sensitive to the needs of pediatric residents, families, and developing infants and that enable parents to spend adequate and good-quality time with their young children. It is important for each residency program to have a policy for parental leave that is written, that is accessible to residents, and that clearly delineates program practices regarding parental leave. At a minimum, a parental leave policy for residents and fellows should conform legally with the Family Medical Leave Act as well as with respective state laws and should meet institutional requirements of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education for accredited programs. Policies should be well formulated and communicated in a culturally sensitive manner. The AAP advocates for extension of benefits consistent with the Family Medical Leave Act to all residents and interns beginning at the time that pediatric residency training begins. The AAP recommends that regardless of gender, residents who become parents should be guaranteed 6 to 8 weeks, at a minimum, of parental leave with pay after the infant's birth. In addition, in conformance with federal law, the resident should be allowed to extend the leave time when necessary by using paid vacation time or leave without pay. Coparenting, adopting, or fostering of a child should entitle the resident, regardless of gender, to the same amount of paid leave (6-8 weeks) as a person who takes maternity/paternity leave. Flexibility, creativity, and advanced planning are necessary to arrange schedules that optimize resident education and experience, cultivate equity in sharing workloads, and protect pregnant residents from overly strenuous work experiences at critical times of their pregnancies.

Preventive Effects on Birth Outcomes: Buffering Impact of Maternal Stress, Depression, and Anxiety.

PubMed

Feinberg, Mark E; Jones, Damon E; Roettger, Michael E; Hostetler, Michelle L; Sakuma, Kari-Lyn; Paul, Ian M; Ehrenthal, Deborah B

2016-01-01

Although maternal stress, anxiety, and depression have been linked to negative birth outcomes, few studies have investigated preventive interventions targeting maternal mental health as a means of reducing such problems. This randomized controlled study examines whether Family Foundations (FF)-a transition to parenthood program for couples focused on promoting coparenting quality, with previously documented impact on maternal stress, depression, and anxiety-can buffer the negative effects of maternal mental health problems. To assess the effects of FF, we used a randomized block design with a sample of 259 expectant mothers assigned to FF or a control condition and analyzed using propensity score models. We examine two-way interactions of condition (intervention vs. control) with maternal mental health problems (financial stress, depression, and anxiety) on birth outcomes (birth weight, days in hospital for mothers and infants). For birth weight, we assess whether intervention effects depend on length of gestation by including a third interaction term. FF buffered (p < 0.05) the negative impact of maternal mental health problems on birth weight and both mother and infant length of post-partum hospital stay. For birth weight, assignment to FF was associated with higher birth weight for infants born before term. These results demonstrate that a psycho-educational program for couples focused on enhancing mutual coparental support, with preventive effects on maternal mental health, can reduce incidence of birth problems among women at elevated risk. Such improvements in birth outcomes could translate into substantial reductions in public and personal healthcare costs. Future work should assess mediating mechanisms of intervention impact and cost-benefit ratio of the intervention. The Family Foundations follow-up intervention study is currently registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov . The study identifier is NCT01907412.

Anxiety disorders and the quality of relationships with friends, relatives, and romantic partners.

PubMed

Priest, Jacob B

2013-01-01

Though research suggests support for the association between marital quality and anxiety disorders, less is known about relationship quality with relatives and friends and anxiety disorders. Using data from the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys (n = 9912; mean age 44.8; 52.2% female), the association between relationship quality with relatives, friends, and romantic partners and anxiety disorders is examined for those who are divorced, single, or married. For those who are single or divorced, relationship quality with relatives and friends was associated with many anxiety disorders including agoraphobia, social phobia, and generalized anxiety disorder. For those who are married, relationship quality with relatives and partners was associated with generalized anxiety disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder. Given that those with anxiety disorders have higher rates of divorce and are more likely to be single, examining the relationship quality with relatives and friends, in addition to romantic partners, may be important for understanding the onset and course of anxiety disorders. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Taking into Account the Quality of the Relationship in HIV Disclosure.

PubMed

Smith, Charlotte; Cook, Rachel; Rohleder, Poul

2017-01-01

Despite growing interest in HIV disclosure, most theoretical frameworks and empirical studies focus on individual and social factors affecting the process, leaving the contribution of interpersonal factors relatively unexplored. HIV transmission and disclosure often occur within a couple however, and this is where disclosure has the most scope as a HIV transmission intervention. With this in mind, this study explores whether perceived relationship quality influences HIV disclosure outcomes. Ninety-five UK individuals with HIV participated in a cross-sectional survey. Retrospective data were collected on their perceived relationship quality prior to disclosing their HIV positive status, and on disclosure outcomes. Perceived relationship quality was found to significantly affect disclosure outcomes. Positive qualities in the relationship were associated with positive outcomes, whereas negative qualities were associated with negative outcomes. Results further confirmed that this association was not merely correlational, but demonstrated predictive power. Relationship quality might act as either a risk or a resilience factor in the disclosure process, and thus warrants greater attention in future research.

Validating a Mentoring Relationship Quality Scale: Does Match Strength Predict Match Length?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhodes, Jean E.; Schwartz, Sarah E. O.; Willis, Margaret M.; Wu, Max B.

2017-01-01

Youth mentoring relationships have significant potential for promoting positive youth development. Nonetheless, the benefits derived from such relationships depend considerably on the length and quality of the bonds that are created between mentors and youth. Although some attention has been paid to youth's experience of relationship quality, few…

The Relationship Quality Interview: Evidence of Reliability, Convergent and Divergent Validity, and Incremental Utility

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawrence, Erika; Barry, Robin A.; Brock, Rebecca L.; Bunde, Mali; Langer, Amie; Ro, Eunyoe; Fazio, Emily; Mulryan, Lorin; Hunt, Sara; Madsen, Lisa; Dzankovic, Sandra

2011-01-01

Relationship satisfaction and adjustment have been the target outcome variables for almost all couple research and therapies. In contrast, far less attention has been paid to the assessment of relationship quality. The present study introduces the Relationship Quality Interview (RQI), a semistructured, behaviorally anchored individual interview.…

Mothers' Perceptions of the Quality of Childhood Sibling Relationships Affected by Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allison, Melissa; Campbell, Marilyn

2015-01-01

The quality of the sibling relationship has an important role in the development of psychosocial skills throughout childhood. While the literature suggests that the significance of sibling relationships is heightened when one sibling has a disability, empirical findings about the quality of these relationships are few and inconsistent. The present…

Relationship Quality and Alcohol-Related Social Reinforcement during Couples Interaction.

PubMed

Fairbairn, Catharine E; Testa, Maria

2016-01-01

Individuals who are unhappy in their intimate partnerships are at risk for developing alcohol problems. But little is known about the mechanisms underlying this link. One possibility is that couples with poor relationship quality gain more reinforcement from alcohol in certain contexts-a possibility that has never previously been empirically examined. In the current study, 304 individuals (152 couples) were assigned to receive alcohol (target BAC .08%) or a non-alcoholic beverage. They then engaged in a conflict-resolution interaction with their partners. Videotaped interactions were coded by trained observers. Results revealed a significant interaction between alcohol and relationship quality across multiple measures. Alcohol decreased negative behaviors, decreased negative reciprocity, and enhanced self-reported experience to a greater extent during interactions involving individuals reporting low relationship quality and had comparatively little effect among those reporting high relationship quality. Findings point to a potential mechanism underlying problem drinking among couples with poor relationship quality.

Controlled by Love: The Harmful Relational Consequences of Perceived Conditional Positive Regard.

PubMed

Kanat-Maymon, Yaniv; Roth, Guy; Assor, Avi; Raizer, Abira

2016-08-01

Research on conditional positive regard (CPR) has shown that this seemingly benign practice has maladaptive correlates when used by parents. However, there is no research on the correlates of this practice in romantic relationships or on the processes mediating its effects. Building on self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, ), three studies tested the hypothesis that perceived CPR impairs relationship quality, partly because it undermines the fulfillment of the basic psychological needs for autonomy and relatedness. Study 1 (N = 125) examined perceived CPR and relationship quality across four relationship targets: mother, father, romantic partner, and best friend. Study 2, involving romantic partners (N = 142), examined whether needs fulfillment mediated the association between perceived CPR and relationship quality. Study 3, involving romantic dyads (N = 85), also included partner reports on CPR. Across the three studies, CPR was linked with poor relationship quality between relationships, between people, and between dyadic partners. Moreover, results of Study 2 and Study 3 revealed that the inverse association between perceived CPR and relationship quality was mediated by dissatisfaction of autonomy but not relatedness. Despite its seemingly benign nature, CPR is detrimental to relationship quality, partly because it thwarts the basic need for autonomy. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[The Quality of the Family Physician-Patient Relationship. Patient-Related Predictors in a Sample Representative for the German Population].

PubMed

Dinkel, Andreas; Schneider, Antonius; Schmutzer, Gabriele; Brähler, Elmar; Henningsen, Peter; Häuser, Winfried

2016-03-01

Patient-centeredness and a strong working alliance are core elements of family medicine. Surveys in Germany showed that most people are satisfied with the quality of the family physician-patient relationship. However, factors that are responsible for the quality of the family physician-patient relationship remain unclear. This study aimed at identifying patient-related predictors of the quality of this relationship. Participants of a cross-sectional survey representative for the general German population were assessed using standardized questionnaires. The perceived quality of the family physician-patient relationship was measured with the German version of the Patient-Doctor Relationship Questionnaire (PDRQ-9). Associations of demographic and clinical variables (comorbidity, somatic symptom burden, psychological distress) with the quality of the family physician-patient relationship were assessed by applying hierarchical linear regression. 2278 participants (91,9%) reported having a family physician. The mean total score of the PDRQ-9 was high (M=4,12, SD=0,70). The final regression model showed that higher age, being female, and most notably less somatic and less depressive symptoms predicted a higher quality of the family physician-patient relationship. Comorbidity lost significance when somatic symptom burden was added to the regression model. The final model explained 11% of the variance, indicating a small effect. Experiencing somatic and depressive symptoms emerged as most relevant patient-related predictors of the quality of the family physician-patient relationship. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Parent relationship quality buffers against the effect of peer stressors on depressive symptoms from middle childhood to adolescence.

PubMed

Hazel, Nicholas A; Oppenheimer, Caroline W; Technow, Jessica R; Young, Jami F; Hankin, Benjamin L

2014-08-01

During the transition to adolescence, several developmental trends converge to increase the importance of peer relationships, the likelihood of peer-related stressors, and the experience of depressive symptoms. Simultaneously, there are significant changes in parent-child relationships. The current study sought to evaluate whether positive relationship quality with parents continued to serve a protective effect by buffering the relationship between stressful life events, especially peer stress, and increases in depressive symptoms throughout the transition to adolescence. Participants in a large (N = 692) 2-site accelerated longitudinal study were recruited in 3rd, 6th, and 9th grade and followed every 3 months for 1 year. At baseline, parents and youth reported on parent-child relationship quality, and every 3 months thereafter reported on their levels of stressors and depressive symptoms. Parent relationship quality moderated the relationship of person-level fluctuations in peer stressors, such that there was a stronger association between peer stressors and increases in depressive symptoms in youth with lower levels of positive parental relationship quality. This effect was specific to peer stressors. These results suggest that low levels of parent relationship quality leave youth particularly vulnerable to the depressogenic effects of peer stressors from childhood through adolescence. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Investigation of Consensually Nonmonogamous Relationships.

PubMed

Conley, Terri; Matsick, Jessica; Moors, Amy Catherine; Ziegler, Ali

2017-03-01

We proposed that the premise that monogamy is the exemplary form of romantic partnership underlies much theory and research on relationship quality, and we addressed how this bias has prompted methodological issues that make it difficult to effectively address the quality of nonmonogamous relationships. Because the idea that consensually nonmonogamous (CNM) relationships are functional (i.e., satisfying and of high quality) is controversial, we included a basic study to assess, in a variety of ways, the quality of these relationships. In that study, we found few differences in relationship functioning between individuals engaged in monogamy and those in CNM relationships. We then considered how existing theories could help researchers to understand CNM relationships and how CNM relationships could shed light on relationship processes, and we proposed a model of how CNM and monogamous relationships differ. Finally, in a second study, we determined that even researchers who present data about CNM are affected by the stigma surrounding such relationships. That is, researchers presenting findings favoring polyamory were perceived as more biased than researchers presenting findings favoring monogamy.

Adolescent interpersonal relationships, social support and loneliness in high schools: Mediation effect and gender differences.

PubMed

Zhang, Baoshan; Gao, Qianyun; Fokkema, Marjolein; Alterman, Valeria; Liu, Qian

2015-09-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the associations between the qualities of different types of relationships in school, social support and loneliness in adolescence. Using a sample (N=1674) of adolescent students randomly selected from middle schools, we found boys' loneliness was influenced by the qualities of opposite-sex, teacher-student and same-sex relationships, whereas girls' loneliness was only influenced by same-sex relationships. Additionally, social support mediated the association between same-sex relationships and teacher-student relationships, and loneliness. Further, the quality of same-sex relationships showed stronger association with boys' loneliness than girls'. Finally, the quality of same-sex relationships showed the strongest association with boys' loneliness comparing with opposite-sex relationships and teacher-student relationships. These findings are discussed to illuminate the possible mechanisms by which interpersonal relationships could influence loneliness. In future research, causal relationships and other influencing factors on loneliness should be examined. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Positive and negative evaluation of relationships: Development and validation of the Positive-Negative Relationship Quality (PN-RQ) scale.

PubMed

Rogge, Ronald D; Fincham, Frank D; Crasta, Dev; Maniaci, Michael R

2017-08-01

Three studies were undertaken to develop the Positive-Negative Relationship Quality scale (PN-RQ), conceptualizing relationship quality as a bidimensional construct in which the positive qualities of a relationship are treated as distinct from its negative qualities. Analyses in emerging adults (Study 1: N = 1,814), in online respondents (Study 2: N = 787) with a 2-week follow-up, and in a single group pre-intervention-post-intervention study (Study 3: N = 54) of the Promoting Awareness, Improving Relationships (PAIR) program provided support for (a) positive and negative qualities as distinct dimensions via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), (b) the PN-RQ representing an item response theory-optimized measure of these 2 dimensions, (c) substantive differences between indifferent (low positive and negative qualities) and ambivalent (high positive and negative qualities) relationships potentially obscured by unidimensional scales, (d) high levels of responsiveness of the PN-RQ scales to change over time, (e) the unique predictive validity offered over time by the PN-RQ scores beyond that offered by scores of current unidimensional measures of relationship quality, and (f) the unique longitudinal information gained by using the PN-RQ as a bidimensional outcome measure in an intervention study. Taken together, the studies offer promising support for the PN-RQ scales suggesting that they have the potential to advance both basic and applied research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Cross Cultural Relationships of Depression, Attachment Styles, and Quality of Romantic Relationships: Cultural Difference between Taiwanese

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burleson, Yi-An Lo

2013-01-01

Relationship quality has been determined to be a positive factor in the treatment of depression (Brown, 2000; Fagan, 2009). Although the importance of marriage has been broadly studied, little research has investigated correlations among relationship quality, depressive moods, and attachment styles. Although the prevalence of depressive moods has…

Adolescent Filial Piety as a Moderator between Perceived Maternal Control and Mother-Adolescent Relationship Quality in Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Sin Man; Leung, Angel Nga-Man; McBride-Chang, Catherine

2010-01-01

This study examined the perceived parental styles of maternal warmth and control, as well as adolescent filial piety, in relation to parent-child relationship quality, in 308 Hong Kong Chinese adolescents. The three mother-child relationship qualities measured were perceived maternal support, conflicts, and relationship depth. Adolescents'…

Assessing relationship quality in mandated community treatment: blending care with control.

PubMed

Skeem, Jennifer L; Louden, Jennifer Eno; Polaschek, Devon; Camp, Jacqueline

2007-12-01

Traditional measures of the therapeutic alliance do not capture the dual roles inherent in relationships with involuntary clients. Providers not only care for, but also have control over, involuntary clients. In 2 studies of probationers mandated to psychiatric treatment (n=90; n=322), the authors developed and validated the revised Dual-Role Relationships Inventory (DRI-R). The authors found that (a) relationship quality in mandated treatment involves caring and fairness, trust, and an authoritative (not authoritarian) style, (b) the DRI-R assesses these domains of relationship quality, is internally consistent, and relates in a theoretically coherent pattern with ratings of within-session behavior and with measures of the therapeutic alliance, relationship satisfaction, symptoms, and treatment motivation, and (c) the quality of dual-role relationships predicts future compliance with the rules, as assessed by probation violations and revocation. The DRI-R covaries with multiple domains more strongly than a leading measure of the therapeutic alliance, suggesting that it better captures the nature and effect of relationship quality in mandated treatment.

Relationships with mother, teacher, and peers: unique and joint effects on young children's self-concept.

PubMed

Verschueren, Karine; Doumen, Sarah; Buyse, Evelien

2012-01-01

This study tested the unique and joint effects of three significant relationships in young children's social lives, namely their relationships with mother, teacher, and peers, on three dimensions of self-concept (general, academic, and social). A sample of 113 children participated. Mother-child attachment quality was observed in preschool. In first grade, teacher ratings of teacher-child relationship quality, peer ratings of peer acceptance, and child reports of self-concept were administered. The results revealed domain-specific links between social relationships and self-concept dimensions. Specifically, academic self-concept related to teacher-child relationship quality, social self-concept to peer acceptance, and general self-concept to the quality of attachment to mother. Moreover, an indirect effect was revealed of earlier mother-child attachment quality on the academic dimension of self through its effect on current adult-child relationships in school. This way, the study uncovered the pathways through which significant social relationships shape the formation of young children's self-concept.

Late adolescent girls' relationships with parents and romantic partner: the distinct role of mothers and fathers.

PubMed

Scharf, Miri; Mayseless, Ofra

2008-12-01

The distinct role of mothers and fathers in shaping the quality of relationships with romantic partner was explored. One hundred and twenty 17-year old girls were observed during their senior year in high school with each of their parents during a Revealed differences task [Allen, J. P., Hauser, S. T., Bell, K. L., Boykin, K. A., & Tate, D. C. (1994). Autonomy and relatedness coding system manual, version 2.01. Unpublished manual] and filled out questionnaires pertaining to their relationships with romantic partners. A year and a half later (7 months after conscription to compulsory military service) they again filled out questionnaires. Whereas self-reports did not distinguish between relations with mothers and fathers observational data revealed that relationships with each parent are associated with somewhat different aspects of the romantic relationship. Better quality of relationship with mother was associated with delays in the girl's entrance into sexual romantic relationships, and with better quality of romantic relationship concurrently whereas better quality of relationship with father was associated with better quality of romantic relationship once they are formed concurrently and longitudinally. The findings highlight the central role that mothers and fathers play in shaping the quality of the romantic relationships that late adolescent girls form and underscore the importance of using observational data as well as questionnaire data.

Forms of Friendship: A Person-Centered Assessment of the Quality, Stability, and Outcomes of Different Types of Adolescent Friends.

PubMed

Hiatt, Cody; Laursen, Brett; Mooney, Karen S; Rubin, Kenneth H

2015-04-01

Friendships differ in terms of their quality and participants may or may not agree as to their perceptions of relationship quality. Two studies ( N = 230 and 242) were conducted to identify distinct and replicable categories of friendship among young adolescents ( M = 11.6 years old) using self and partner reports of relationship quality. Same-sex friendships were identified from reciprocated friend nominations. Each friend described perceptions of negativity and social support in the relationship. Cluster analyses based on reports from both friends yielded 4 friendship types in each study: a high quality group, a low quality group, and two groups in which friends disagreed about the quality of the relationship. High quality friendships were most apt to be stable from the 6 th to the 7 th grade. Participants in high quality friendships reported the highest levels of global self-worth and perceived behavioral conduct and the lowest levels of problem behaviors. Dyads reporting discrepant perceptions of quality differed from dyads who agreed that the friendship was high quality in terms of stability and individual adjustment, underscoring the advantages of person-centered strategies that incorporate perceptions of both partners in categorizations of relationships.

Forms of Friendship: A Person-Centered Assessment of the Quality, Stability, and Outcomes of Different Types of Adolescent Friends

PubMed Central

Hiatt, Cody; Laursen, Brett; Mooney, Karen S.; Rubin, Kenneth H.

2015-01-01

Friendships differ in terms of their quality and participants may or may not agree as to their perceptions of relationship quality. Two studies (N = 230 and 242) were conducted to identify distinct and replicable categories of friendship among young adolescents (M = 11.6 years old) using self and partner reports of relationship quality. Same-sex friendships were identified from reciprocated friend nominations. Each friend described perceptions of negativity and social support in the relationship. Cluster analyses based on reports from both friends yielded 4 friendship types in each study: a high quality group, a low quality group, and two groups in which friends disagreed about the quality of the relationship. High quality friendships were most apt to be stable from the 6th to the 7th grade. Participants in high quality friendships reported the highest levels of global self-worth and perceived behavioral conduct and the lowest levels of problem behaviors. Dyads reporting discrepant perceptions of quality differed from dyads who agreed that the friendship was high quality in terms of stability and individual adjustment, underscoring the advantages of person-centered strategies that incorporate perceptions of both partners in categorizations of relationships. PMID:25620829

Passion in sport: on the quality of the coach-athlete relationship.

PubMed

Lafrenière, Marc-André K; Jowett, Sophia; Vallerand, Robert J; Gonahue, Eric G; Lorimer, Ross

2008-10-01

Vallerand et al. (2003) developed a dualistic model of passion, wherein two types of passion are proposed: harmonious (HP) and obsessive (OP) passion that predict adaptive and less adaptive interpersonal outcomes, respectively. In the present research, we were interested in understanding the role of passion in the quality of coach-athlete relationships. Results of Study 1, conducted with athletes (N=157), revealed that HP positively predicts a high-quality coach-athlete relationship, whereas OP was largely unrelated to such relationships. Study 2 was conducted with coaches (N=106) and showed that only HP positively predicted the quality of the coach-athlete relationship. Furthermore, these effects were fully mediated by positive emotions. Finally, the quality of the coach-athlete relationship positively predicted coaches' subjective well-being. Future research directions are discussed in light of the dualistic model of passion.

[The structure of interaction in romantic relationships: hierarchical data analysis of inter-subjectivity between partners].

PubMed

Shimizu, Hiroshi; Daibo, Ikuo

2008-02-01

A hierarchical data analysis was conducted using data from couples to examine how self-reports of interactions between partners in romantic relationships predict the quality of the relationships. Whereas the social exchange theory has elucidated the quality of relationships from the individual level of subjectivity, this study focused on the structure of interactions between the partners (i.e., the frequency, strength, and diversity) through a process of inter-subjectivity at the couple level. A multilevel covariance structure analysis of 194 university students involved in romantic relationships revealed that the quality of relationships was mainly related to the strength and the diversity of interactions at the couple level, rather than the strength of interactions at the individual level. These results indicate that the inter-subjective process in romantic relationships may primarily explain the quality of relationships.

Parental and Child Psychopathology: Moderated Mediation by Gender and Parent-Child Relationship Quality.

PubMed

Franz, Annabel O; McKinney, Cliff

2018-03-26

Previous literature has not examined the processes underlying the relations among parent-child relationship quality, parental psychopathology, and child psychopathology in the context of gender. Further, research examining these variables in emerging adulthood is lacking. The current study examined whether parent-child relationship quality would mediate the relation between parental and child psychopathology, and whether gender moderated these associations. Participants were emerging adults (N = 665) who reported on perceptions of their parents' and their own psychological problems as well as their parent-child relationship quality. Results indicated that the relation between parental internalizing problems and parent-child relationship quality was positive for males, and that mother-child relationship quality was related positively to psychological problems in males. This suggests that sons may grow closer to their parents (particularly their mother) who are exhibiting internalizing problems; in turn, this enmeshed relationship may facilitate transmission of psychopathology. Mediational paths were conditional upon gender, suggesting moderated mediation. Overall, the current study emphasizes that the complexities of parenting must be understood in the context of gender. Further, the mother-son dyad may particularly warrant further attention.

Parentally Bereaved Children’s Grief: Self-system Beliefs as Mediators of the Relations between Grief and Stressors and Caregiver-child Relationship Quality

PubMed Central

Wolchik, Sharlene A.; Ma, Yue; Tein, Jenn-Yun; Sandler, Irwin N.; Ayers, Tim S.

2009-01-01

We investigated whether three self-system beliefs -- fear of abandonment, coping efficacy, and self-esteem -- mediated the relations between stressors and caregiver-child relationship quality and parentally bereaved youths’ general grief and intrusive grief thoughts. Cross-sectional (n=340 youth) and longitudinal (n=100 youth) models were tested. In the cross-sectional model, fear of abandonment mediated the effects of stressors and relationship quality on both measures of grief and coping efficacy mediated the path from relationship quality to general grief. Fear of abandonment showed a marginal prospective mediational relation between stressors and intrusive grief thoughts. After excluding the mediators, relationship quality showed a direct prospective relation to intrusive grief thoughts. PMID:18924290

Associations between social understanding, sibling relationship quality, and siblings' conflict strategies and outcomes.

PubMed

Recchia, Holly E; Howe, Nina

2009-01-01

Sibling relationship quality and social understanding (second-order false belief, conflict interpretation, and narrative conflict perspective references) were examined as unique and interactive correlates of sibling conflict behavior in 62 dyads (older M age = 8.39 years and younger M age = 6.06 years). High-quality relationships were associated with positive conflict processes. Younger siblings' second-order false belief scores were negatively associated with constructive conflict strategies, and older siblings' narrative self-referential focus was negatively associated with compromise. Associations between younger children's social understanding (conflict interpretation and narrative perspective references) and siblings' dyadic conflict behavior were moderated by relationship quality. Results suggest that links between social understanding and conflict behavior should be considered in conjunction with the quality of children's relationships.

Why Are Some Texts Good and Others Not? Relationship between Text Quality and Management of the Writing Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beauvais, Caroline; Olive, Thierry; Passerault, Jean-Michel

2011-01-01

Two experiments examined whether text quality is related to online management of the writing processes. Experiment 1 focused on the relationship between online management and text quality in narrative and argumentative texts. Experiment 2 investigated how this relationship might be affected by a goal emphasizing text quality. In both experiments,…

Evaluating the Relationship between Productivity and Quality in Emergency Departments

PubMed Central

Bastian, Nathaniel D.; Riordan, John P.

2017-01-01

Background In the United States, emergency departments (EDs) are constantly pressured to improve operational efficiency and quality in order to gain financial benefits and maintain a positive reputation. Objectives The first objective is to evaluate how efficiently EDs transform their input resources into quality outputs. The second objective is to investigate the relationship between the efficiency and quality performance of EDs and the factors affecting this relationship. Methods Using two data sources, we develop a data envelopment analysis (DEA) model to evaluate the relative efficiency of EDs. Based on the DEA result, we performed multinomial logistic regression to investigate the relationship between ED efficiency and quality performance. Results The DEA results indicated that the main source of inefficiencies was working hours of technicians. The multinomial logistic regression result indicated that the number of electrocardiograms and X-ray procedures conducted in the ED and the length of stay were significantly associated with the trade-offs between relative efficiency and quality. Structural ED characteristics did not influence the relationship between efficiency and quality. Conclusions Depending on the structural and operational characteristics of EDs, different factors can affect the relationship between efficiency and quality. PMID:29065673

Empathy in intimate relationships: the role of positive illusions.

PubMed

Dijkstra, Pieternel; Barelds, Dick P H; Groothof, Hinke A K; van Bruggen, Marnix

2014-10-01

Previous studies have shown empathy to be an important aspect of a high quality intimate relationship. Likewise, positive illusions about a partner's characteristics have been shown to contribute to relationship quality. The present study connects these issues by examining the degree to which individuals hold positive illusions about a partner's level of empathy, and the extent to which these positive illusions are related to relationship quality and adjustment in a sample of 55 couples. Results showed that positive illusions concerning a partner's level of empathy were only held by women. In addition, people's evaluation of relationship quality and adjustment was consistently related to both their own and their partner's positive empathy illusions. Finally, an interaction effect was found between participant sex and the partner effect of positive empathy illusions: the illusions held by the partner (only for men) were related to relationship quality. Results and implications for theory and relationship counseling are discussed. © 2014 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Adopting Quality Assurance Technology in Customer-Vendor Relationships: A Case Study of How Interorganizational Relationships Influence the Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heeager, Lise Tordrup; Tjørnehøj, Gitte

Quality assurance technology is a formal control mechanism aiming at increasing the quality of the product exchanged between vendors and customers. Studies of the adoption of this technology in the field of system development rarely focus on the role of the relationship between the customer and vendor in the process. We have studied how the process of adopting quality assurance technology by a small Danish IT vendor developing pharmacy software for a customer in the public sector was influenced by the relationship with the customer. The case study showed that the adoption process was shaped to a high degree by the relationship and vice versa. The prior high level of trust and mutual knowledge helped the parties negotiate mutually feasible solutions throughout the adoption process. We thus advise enhancing trust-building processes to strengthen the relationships and to balance formal control and social control to increase the likelihood of a successful outcome of the adoption of quality assurance technology in a customer-vendor relationship.

Depression among Migrant and Left-Behind Children in China in Relation to the Quality of Parent-Child and Teacher-Child Relationships.

PubMed

Guo, Jing; Ren, Xuezhu; Wang, Xiaohua; Qu, Zhiyong; Zhou, Qianyun; Ran, Chun; Wang, Xia; Hu, Juan

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to examine rates of depression among migrant children (MC) and left-behind children (LBC) as compared to non-left-behind children (NLBC) and also to examine the relationship between depression among these children and the quality of their parent-child and teacher-child relationships. This study collected data from a large sample of 3,759 children aged from 8 to 17 years, including 824 who had been left behind by one parent (LBCO), 423 who had been left behind by both parents (LBCB), 568 MC and 1944 NLBC. Children's Depression Inventory-Short Form was used to measure child depression. Parent-Child Relationship Scale (PCRS) and Teacher-Child Relationship Scale (TCRS) were used to measure the quality of parent-child and teacher-child relationships, respectively. The results showed that the prevalence of depression was 10.5% among NLBC, 13.1% among LBCO, 16.1% among LBCB, and 20.1% among MC. Depression was related to parent-child relationship quality and teacher-child relationship quality. Negative parent-child relationship was more relevant to depression than negative teacher-child relationship among LBCB, while negative teacher-child relationship was the most correlated with depression among MC.

Depression among Migrant and Left-Behind Children in China in Relation to the Quality of Parent-Child and Teacher-Child Relationships

PubMed Central

Wang, Xiaohua; Qu, Zhiyong; Zhou, Qianyun; Ran, Chun; Wang, Xia; Hu, Juan

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to examine rates of depression among migrant children (MC) and left-behind children (LBC) as compared to non-left-behind children (NLBC) and also to examine the relationship between depression among these children and the quality of their parent-child and teacher-child relationships. This study collected data from a large sample of 3,759 children aged from 8 to 17 years, including 824 who had been left behind by one parent (LBCO), 423 who had been left behind by both parents (LBCB), 568 MC and 1944 NLBC. Children’s Depression Inventory–Short Form was used to measure child depression. Parent-Child Relationship Scale (PCRS) and Teacher-Child Relationship Scale (TCRS) were used to measure the quality of parent-child and teacher-child relationships, respectively. The results showed that the prevalence of depression was 10.5% among NLBC, 13.1% among LBCO, 16.1% among LBCB, and 20.1% among MC. Depression was related to parent-child relationship quality and teacher-child relationship quality. Negative parent-child relationship was more relevant to depression than negative teacher-child relationship among LBCB, while negative teacher-child relationship was the most correlated with depression among MC. PMID:26719895

College student mental health and quality of workplace relationships.

PubMed

Vaughn, Allison A; Drake, Richard R; Haydock, Sarah

2016-01-01

The goal of this study was to examine the effect of quality of workplace relationships on the mental health of employed undergraduates, with work-related variables as a potential mechanism. Participants were 170 employed students (76% female, average age = 19.9) recruited in March 2011. Most worked part-time and had been at their jobs over a year. Students were recruited from an undergraduate introductory psychology course and completed online surveys about the quality of workplace relationships, mental health (ie, somatic stress symptoms, depression, anxiety, and life satisfaction), and work-related variables (ie, job satisfaction, support, turnover and burnout). Students who reported having workplace relationships with co-occurring positivity and negativity had worse self-reported mental health outcomes than students reporting having wholly positive relationships. The relationship between workplace relationship quality and mental health was mediated by negative work-related variables. Workplace relationships-even in part-time employment settings-influence college students' mental health.

Attachment styles, relationship satisfaction, and well-being in working women.

PubMed

Towler, Annette J; Stuhlmacher, Alice F

2013-01-01

We propose and test a model connecting women's attachment styles, intimate relationship quality, workplace supervisor relationships, and well-being. The factors that lead to women's successful interaction patterns at home with a partner are suggested to be similar to successful interactions at work and are suggested to be related to well-being. A model was tested with data from 209 working women across various U.S. organizations. Women with an avoidance attachment style tended to have intimate relationships that were low in satisfaction and cohesion as well as low-quality relationships with their supervisors. Women in cohesive intimate relationships were likely to be satisfied with their job, experience low conflict at work, and report few physical symptoms. Women who had quality relationships with their superiors also had low conflict at work and were satisfied with their jobs. Results show important associations among social relationships at home and work related to quality of life.

THE ROLE OF PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF ATHLETES IN COACH-ATHLETE RELATIONSHIPS.

PubMed

Hülya Aşçı, F; Kelecek, Selen; AltintaŞ, Atahan

2015-10-01

This study investigated the relationship between athletes' personality characteristics and the quality of the coach-athlete relationship. 84 female (M age = 20.6 yr., SD = 2.8) and 129 male (M age = 22.0 yr., SD = 3.3) elite youth athletes competing at least for 7 yr. participated in this study. The Five-Factor Personality Inventory (short version) and the Quality of Relationships Inventory were administered to all participants. Stepwise multiple regression analysis assessed which of the five personality factors predicted scores for the different subscales of the Quality of Relationships Inventory (Depth, Support, and Conflict). Results indicated that depth of relationship was not predicted by personality factors. On the other hand, neuroticism and extraversion were significant predictors of support dimension of relationship. Analysis indicated that conscientiousness was the strongest predictor of conflict. In conclusion, athletes' personality characteristics may be important in determining the quality of the coach-athlete relationship.

Relational-interdependent self-construal as a predictor of relationship quality: the mediating roles of one's own behaviors and perceptions of the fulfillment of friendship functions.

PubMed

Morry, Marian M; Kito, Mie

2009-06-01

Relational-interdependent self-construal (RISC) is the tendency to think of oneself in terms of relationships with close others, and it influences relationship cognitions (e.g., closeness, commitment, perceived similarity). The authors expected individuals high in RISC to report more relationship supportive behaviors (RSB; e.g., higher levels of trust, more intimate disclosures), experience greater fulfillment of friendship functions (FrFu; e.g., help, emotional security, stimulating companionship), and report higher relationship quality than individuals low in RISC. The authors also hypothesized that RSB would mediate the RISC-friendship function and the RISC-relationship quality relations and that FrFu would mediate the relation between RSB and relationship quality. Structural equation modeling supported the authors' hypotheses. These effects did not differ across friendship type (same or cross sex). The authors discuss the importance of self-construal for relationship research.

Paranoid Thinking, Quality of Relationships with Parents, and Social Outcomes among Young Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riggio, Heidi R.; Kwong, Wing Yee

2011-01-01

Research based on clinical samples suggests that poor-quality relationships with parents are associated with paranoid disorders; however, no research has investigated such relations within nonclinical populations. Undergraduate students (N = 179) completed self-reports of paranoid thinking, quality of relationships with mothers and fathers,…

Grandmother-Grandchild Relationship Quality Predicts Psychological Adjustment among Youth from Divorced Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Craig E.; Hayslip, Bert, Jr.; Sanders, Leah M.; Louden, Linda

2009-01-01

This study investigates maternal grandmother-grandchild relationship quality as a predictor of psychological adjustment among youth from divorced families. Three hundred twenty-four adolescents aged between 17 and 20 report on the quality of their relationships with their maternal grandmothers and their relational competence, self-efficacy, and…

Education Moderates the Relationship Between Spirituality with Quality of Life and Stress Among Malay Muslim Women with Breast Cancer.

PubMed

Pahlevan Sharif, Saeed; Ong, Fon Sim

2018-03-06

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between spirituality with quality of life and stress of Malay Muslim breast cancer patients in Malaysia. In addition, the moderating role of education on this relationship was examined. Participants consisted of 145 conveniently selected Malay breast cancer patients. The results indicated that the more spiritual respondents reported a higher level of quality of life and lower level of stress. Moreover, education weakened the relationship between spirituality with quality of life and stress.

The psychosocial adjustment of African American youth from single mother homes: the relative contribution of parents and peers.

PubMed

Chester, Charlene; Jones, Deborah J; Zalot, Alecia; Sterrett, Emma

2007-01-01

This study examined the relative roles of parents and peers in the psychosocial adjustment of African American youth (7-15 years old) from single mother homes (N = 242). Main effects of both positive parenting and peer relationship quality were found for youth depressive symptoms. In addition, a main effect of peer relationship quality and an interaction of Positive Parenting x Peer Relationship Quality emerged for youth externalizing symptoms. When mothers engaged in higher levels of positive parenting behavior, peer relationship quality was not associated with youth externalizing symptomatology. When mothers engaged in lower levels of positive parenting behavior, however, higher peer relationship quality was associated with greater youth externalizing symptomatology. Clinical implications and future research directions are discussed.

Classroom relationship qualities and social-cognitive correlates of defending and passive bystanding in school bullying in Sweden: A multilevel analysis.

PubMed

Thornberg, Robert; Wänström, Linda; Hong, Jun Sung; Espelage, Dorothy L

2017-08-01

Using the social-ecological and social cognitive theories as integrated guiding frameworks, the present study examined whether moral disengagement and defender self-efficacy at the individual level, and moral disengagement, quality of teacher-student relationships and quality of student-student relationships at the classroom level were associated with passive bystanding and defending in bullying situations. Participants were 900 Swedish students from 43 classrooms, ranging in age from 9 to 13years. Multilevel regression analyses revealed that passive reactions by bystanders were associated with greater moral disengagement and less defender self-efficacy. Defending, in turn, was associated with less moral disengagement and greater defender self-efficacy and classroom student-student relationship quality. Furthermore, students who scored high in moral disengagement were even less prone to defend victims when the classroom student-student relationship quality was low, but more prone to act as defenders when the classroom student-student relationship quality was high. In addition, the negative association between defender self-efficacy and passive bystanding was stronger both in classrooms with higher student-student relationship quality and in those with lower class moral disengagement. Implications for prevention are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Society for the Study of School Psychology. All rights reserved.

Intergenerational Relationship Quality Across Three Generations

PubMed Central

Tighe, Lauren A.; Fingerman, Karen L.; Zarit, Steven H.

2012-01-01

Objectives. Studies of intergenerational relationship quality often include one or two generations. This study examined within-family differences and similarities or transmission of positive and negative relationship quality across three generations. Method. Participants included 633 middle-aged individuals (G2; 52% women, ages 40–60 years), 592 of their offspring (G3; 53% daughters; ages 18–41 years), and 337 of their parents (i.e., grandparents; G1; 69% women; ages 59–96 years). Results. Multilevel models revealed differences and similarities in relationship quality across generations. The oldest generation (G1) reported greater positive and less negative quality relationships than the middle (G2) and the younger (G3) generations. There was limited evidence of transmission. Middle-aged respondents who reported more positive and less negative ties with their parents (G1) reported more positive and less negative ties with their own children (G3). Grandmother (G1) reports of more positive relationship quality were associated with G3 reports of more positive relationship quality with G2. Discussion. Findings are consistent with the intergenerational stake hypothesis and only partially consistent with the theory of intergenerational transmission. Overall, this study suggests that there is greater within-family variability than similarities in how family members feel about one another. PMID:22628478

Social Relationships in Young Adults at Ultra High Risk For Psychosis

PubMed Central

Robustelli, Briana L.; Newberry, Raeana E.; Whisman, Mark A.; Mittal, Vijay A.

2016-01-01

Studies suggest that individuals with schizophrenia have smaller social networks and less satisfying relationships. However, much is still unknown about the typical quantity and quality of social relationships in young adults during the ultra high-risk (UHR) period. Investigating these relationships holds significant importance for improving understanding of etiological processes, mapping the social environment, and highlighting treatment targets in a critical period. A total of 85 participants (44 UHR and 41 healthy controls) completed measures examining the participants’ social relationships, social support, and loneliness. Mean differences between the UHR and healthy control participants and associations between social relationships and symptoms and functioning were examined. Results indicated significant differences between groups on several indices. Specifically, the UHR youth reported fewer close friends, less diverse social networks, less perceived social support, poorer relationship quality with family and friends, and more loneliness. Notably, within the UHR group, being lonely and having fewer and worse quality relationships was associated with greater symptom severity and lower overall functioning. This study suggests that youth at high-risk of developing psychosis have fewer and poorer quality social relationships. Interventions that focus on increasing the quantity and quality of young adults’ social networks may be beneficial for this population. PMID:27987484

Post-traumatic stress symptom development as a function of changing witnessing in-home violence and changing peer relationship quality: Evaluating protective effects of peer relationship quality.

PubMed

Mishra, Aura A; Christ, Sharon L; Schwab-Reese, Laura M; Nair, Nayantara

2018-07-01

In the present study, witnessing in-home violence and peer relationship quality are evaluated as to their relative impact on Post Traumatic Stress (PTS) symptoms among children aged 8 to 17 investigated by child protective services (CPS) for maltreatment exposure. The sample included 2151 children from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being II (NSCAW II). Linear growth models were estimated to assess associations between changes in PTS symptoms, witnessing in-home violence, and peer relationship quality over time. Greater frequency of witnessing in-home violence at baseline (i.e. wave 1) was associated with higher baseline PTS symptoms (β = 0.44). Increases in witnessing in-home violence frequency over time (average annual change across three years) had a strong association with increases in PTS symptoms over time (β = 0.88). Baseline peer relationship quality was associated with fewer PTS symptoms at baseline (β = -0.45). Increases in peer relationship quality over time were strongly associated with declines in PTS symptoms over time (β = -0.68). Peer relationship quality at baseline did not moderate baseline or over time associations between witnessing in-home violence and PTS symptoms. The average decline in PTS symptoms due to decreases in witnessing in-home violence and increases in peer relationship quality was 0.51 and 0.65 standard deviations respectively, over the three-year study period. Reducing chronic witnessing in-home violence and promoting the development of healthy social relationships with peers are critical for PTS symptom recovery. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bidirectional Links and Concurrent Development of Parent-Child Relationships and Boys’ Offending Behavior

PubMed Central

Keijsers, Loes; Loeber, Rolf; Branje, Susan; Meeus, Wim

2012-01-01

This study examined different types of longitudinal associations (i.e., directional links and overlapping developmental changes) between children’s delinquency and the quality of parent-child relationships from middle childhood to late adolescence. We used 10-wave interview data of 503 boys, their primary caregivers, and their teachers. Our first aim was to unravel the direction of effects between parent-child relationships and children’s offending. Cross-lagged panel models revealed bidirectional links over time between poorer quality parent-child relationships and boys’ offending across late childhood (age 7–10), early adolescence (age 10–13) and middle adolescence (age 13–16). Second, we examined the associations between mean changes in delinquency, on the one hand, and mean changes in relationship quality, on the other hand. Although parent-child relationships improved during childhood, their quality decreased in early adolescence and remained stable in middle adolescence. Delinquency increased only in middle adolescence. In 5 out of 6 models, the slope factors of relationship quality and offending were strongly correlated, indicating that stronger increases in delinquency were associated with stronger decreases in parent-child relationship quality across childhood, early adolescence, and middle adolescence. The discussion focuses on the theoretical implications of these two types of longitudinal associations. PMID:21842967

The Impact of Relationship Quality on Health-Related Outcomes in Heart Failure Patients and Informal Family Caregivers: An Integrative Review.

PubMed

Hooker, Stephanie A; Grigsby, Megan E; Riegel, Barbara; Bekelman, David B

2015-01-01

Relationships can have positive and negative impacts on health and well-being. Dyadic relationships between heart failure (HF) patients and their informal family caregivers may affect both patient and caregiver outcomes. The aim of this study is to synthesize the literature to date on the associations between HF patient-caregiver relationship quality and communication and patient and caregiver health outcomes. An integrative review of the literature was conducted. Computerized literature searches in Medline, PsycInfo, CINAHL, Web of Science, and EMBASE yielded 13 articles of HF patients and caregivers. Included articles were reviewed and double-coded by 2 independent coders. Included articles measured relationship quality or aspects of communication within an HF patient-caregiver dyad and used both cross-sectional and longitudinal designs. Results of the longest prospective study suggested that better relationship quality between HF patients and their informal family caregivers was related to a reduced risk for mortality in patients. Results of 11 of the 12 other studies were consistent to the reference study, suggesting that better relationship quality and communication were related to reduced mortality, increased health status, less distress, and lower caregiver burden. Relationship quality and communication seem to matter in the health and well-being of both HF patients and their informal family caregivers. More research is needed to elucidate mechanisms and to design effective relationship-focused interventions.

Chinese children's imaginary companions: Relations with peer relationships and social competence.

PubMed

Lin, Qiyi; Fu, Hong; Wan, Yingjia; Zhou, Nan; Xu, Hui

2016-09-25

We investigated relationships between Chinese children's imaginary companions (ICs) and peer relationships and social competence in 160 children, aged 5-6 years old. Children and their mothers participated in the interviews regarding the details of the children's ICs, including the type of the companion and the quality of the child-IC relationship. Peer relationships were assessed using sociometric nomination and perceived popularity nomination. Teachers rated children's social competence. Here, 55 children (34.3%) were deemed to have engaged in imaginary companion play. There was no relationship between imaginary companion types and child-IC relationship qualities. Children with invisible friends received more positive nominations than children with personified objects. Children with egalitarian relationships received more positive nominations and popularity nominations, but fewer negative nominations and unpopularity nominations than children with hierarchical relationships. Compared with children with hierarchical relationships, teachers rated the children with egalitarian relationships higher in social competence. The results suggest that imaginary companion types and relationship qualities may represent different dimensions of imaginary companions, calling attentions to the different mechanisms underlying imaginary companion types and relationship qualities with respect to social functioning. © 2016 International Union of Psychological Science.

Hospital staff registered nurses' perception of horizontal violence, peer relationships, and the quality and safety of patient care.

PubMed

Purpora, Christina; Blegen, Mary A; Stotts, Nancy A

2015-01-01

To test hypotheses from a horizontal violence and quality and safety of patient care model: horizontal violence (negative behavior among peers) is inversely related to peer relations, quality of care and it is positively related to errors and adverse events. Additionally, the association between horizontal violence, peer relations, quality of care, errors and adverse events, and nurse and work characteristics were determined. A random sample (n= 175) of hospital staff Registered Nurses working in California. Nurses participated via survey. Bivariate and multivariate analyses tested the study hypotheses. Hypotheses were supported. Horizontal violence was inversely related to peer relations and quality of care, and positively related to errors and adverse events. Including peer relations in the analyses altered the relationship between horizontal violence and quality of care but not between horizontal violence, errors and adverse events. Nurse and hospital characteristics were not related to other variables. Clinical area contributed significantly in predicting the quality of care, errors and adverse events but not peer relationships. Horizontal violence affects peer relationships and the quality and safety of patient care as perceived by participating nurses. Supportive peer relationships are important to mitigate the impact of horizontal violence on quality of care.

Longitudinal associations between perceived parent-adolescent attachment relationship quality and generalized anxiety disorder symptoms in adolescence.

PubMed

van Eijck, Fenna E A M; Branje, Susan J T; Hale, William W; Meeus, Wim H J

2012-08-01

This longitudinal study examined the direction of effects between adolescents' generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) symptoms and perceived parent-adolescent attachment relationship quality, as well as the moderating role of gender and age. 1,313 Dutch adolescents (48.5% boys) from two age cohorts of early (n = 923, M(age) = 12 at W1) and middle (n = 390, M(age) = 16 at W1) adolescents completed questionnaires regarding their attachment relationship to parents and GAD symptoms in four waves. Cross-lagged path analyses demonstrated that adolescents' GAD symptoms and perceived father-adolescent attachment relationship quality bidirectionally negatively affected each other over time. For mothers, adolescents' GAD symptoms negatively predicted perceived mother-adolescent attachment relationship quality over time. The within-wave correlated residuals between perceived attachment relationship quality with fathers and GAD symptoms were stronger for boys than for girls and stronger for the cohort of middle adolescents than for the cohort of early adolescents. This study demonstrates that both the parents' and the adolescents' gender as well as the adolescents' age affects the relation between adolescents' GAD symptoms and perceived parent-adolescent attachment relationship quality.

Coach-athlete attachment and the quality of the coach-athlete relationship: implications for athlete's well-being.

PubMed

Davis, Louise; Jowett, Sophia

2014-01-01

This study examined whether athletes' attachment styles with the coach were linked to aspects of the coach-athlete relationship quality and, in turn, whether relationship quality was linked to athletes' well-being. One hundred and ninety-two athletes completed a questionnaire measuring their attachment styles and relationship quality with the coach as well as their feelings of positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA). Structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis found athletes' avoidant and secure attachment styles to be associated with aspects of coach-athlete relationship quality such as social support, relationship depth, and interpersonal conflict. Interpersonal conflict appeared to play a key role in athletes' PA and NA. From a practical perspective, an understanding of conflict management could provide a resource that allows athletes (and coaches) to enhance the quality of their sporting relationships. Specifically, an awareness of proactive strategies (e.g., steps to clarify expectations) and reactive strategies (e.g., cooperation during the discussion of disagreements) could potentially lead both coaches and athletes to "broaden" their viewpoints and in turn "build" connections that are capable of generating positive emotions including interest, excitement, happiness, and zeal.

Childhood sibling relationships as a predictor of major depression in adulthood: a 30-year prospective study.

PubMed

Waldinger, Robert J; Vaillant, George E; Orav, E John

2007-06-01

The authors examined the quality of sibling relationships in childhood as a predictor of major depression in adulthood. Study subjects were 229 men selected for mental and physical health and followed from ages 20 through 50 and beyond as part of a study of adult psychosocial development. Data were obtained from interviews with participants and their parents at intake and from follow-up interviews and self-report questionnaires completed by participants at regular intervals. These data were used to rate the quality of relationships with siblings, the quality of parenting received in childhood, and family history of depression as well as the occurrence, by age 50, of major depression, alcoholism, and use of mood-altering drugs (tranquilizers, sleeping pills, and stimulants). Poorer relationships with siblings prior to age 20 and a family history of depression independently predicted both the occurrence of major depression and the frequency of use of mood-altering drugs by age 50, even after adjustment for the quality of childhood relationships with parents. Poor relationships with parents in childhood did not predict the occurrence of depression by age 50 when family history of depression and the quality of relationships with siblings were taken into account. Quality of sibling relationships and family history of depression did not predict later alcohol abuse or dependence. Poor sibling relationships in childhood may be an important and specific predictor of major depression in adulthood. Further study of links between childhood sibling relationships and adult depression is warranted.

Diet Quality and Cancer Outcomes in Adults: A Systematic Review of Epidemiological Studies

PubMed Central

Potter, Jennifer; Brown, Leanne; Williams, Rebecca L.; Byles, Julie; Collins, Clare E.

2016-01-01

Dietary patterns influence cancer risk. However, systematic reviews have not evaluated relationships between a priori defined diet quality scores and adult cancer risk and mortality. The aims of this systematic review are to (1) describe diet quality scores used in cohort or cross-sectional research examining cancer outcomes; and (2) describe associations between diet quality scores and cancer risk and mortality. The protocol was registered in Prospero, and a systematic search using six electronic databases was conducted through to December 2014. Records were assessed for inclusion by two independent reviewers, and quality was evaluated using a validated tool. Sixty-four studies met inclusion criteria from which 55 different diet quality scores were identified. Of the 35 studies investigating diet quality and cancer risk, 60% (n = 21) found a positive relationship. Results suggest no relationship between diet quality scores and overall cancer risk. Inverse associations were found for diet quality scores and risk of postmenopausal breast, colorectal, head, and neck cancer. No consistent relationships between diet quality scores and cancer mortality were found. Diet quality appears to be related to site-specific adult cancer risk. The relationship with cancer mortality is less conclusive, suggesting additional factors impact overall cancer survival. Development of a cancer-specific diet quality score for application in prospective epidemiology and in public health is warranted. PMID:27399671

Quality of Teacher-Child Relationship and Preschoolers' Pro-Social Behaviour in German Kindergartens

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glüer, Michael; Gregoriadis, Athanasios

2017-01-01

Teacher-child relationships in early childhood are a crucial prerequisite for children's emotional, social and academic development. Therefore, it is important to be able to measure accurately the quality of interactions among them. The Student-Teacher Relationship Scale (STRS) is a widely accepted instrument in measuring the quality of…

Marital Quality in Interracial Relationships: The Role of Sex Role Ideology and Perceived Fairness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forry, Nicole D.; Leslie, Leigh A.; Letiecq, Bethany L.

2007-01-01

African American/White interracial couples are a rapidly growing segment of the population. However, little is known about factors related to marital quality for these couples. The authors examine the relationships between sex role ideology, perception of relationship unfairness, and marital quality among a sample of 76 married African…

Basic Relationships among Scale, Quality, and Benefits in Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Jinhui

2016-01-01

The basic relationships among scale, quality, and benefits in Sino-foreign cooperative education are key to the development of cooperative education. It is necessary to construct a theoretical framework for the basic relationships among scale, quality, and benefits in Sino-foreign cooperative education and analyze the questions faced in…

Quality of Grandparent-Grandchild Relationship in Asian-Indian Immigrant Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saxena, Divya; Sanders, Gregory F.

2009-01-01

A sample of 112 Asian-Indian Immigrant grandchildren, age 10-16 years, from different parts of the United States completed survey questionnaires regarding the quality of relationship with their grandparents in India. The study explored the factors that affected the quality of relationship between two different generations living at considerable…

The Salience of Adolescent Romantic Experiences for Romantic Relationship Qualities in Young Adulthood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madsen, Stephanie D.; Collins, W. Andrew

2011-01-01

Conceptual links between aspects of adolescents' dating experiences (i.e., involvement and quality; ages 15-17.5) and qualities of their romantic relationships in young adulthood (ages 20-21) were examined in a prospective longitudinal design. Even after accounting for earlier relationship experiences with parents and peers, aspects of adolescent…

Associations between Social Understanding, Sibling Relationship Quality, and Siblings' Conflict Strategies and Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Recchia, Holly E.; Howe, Nina

2009-01-01

Sibling relationship quality and social understanding (second-order false belief, conflict interpretation, and narrative conflict perspective references) were examined as unique and interactive correlates of sibling conflict behavior in 62 dyads (older M age = 8.39 years and younger M age = 6.06 years). High-quality relationships were associated…

Mother-Adolescent Relationship Quality and Autonomy as Predictors of Psychosocial Adjustment among African American Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bynum, Mia Smith; Kotchick, Beth A.

2006-01-01

This study investigated the role of mother-adolescent relationship quality and autonomy in the psychosocial outcomes in a sample of African American adolescents drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. The results indicated that positive mother-adolescent relationship quality and greater autonomy were associated with higher…

Passion for an activity and quality of interpersonal relationships: the mediating role of emotions.

PubMed

Philippe, Frederick L; Vallerand, Robert J; Houlfort, Nathalie; Lavigne, Geneviève L; Donahue, Eric G

2010-06-01

Our purpose in this research was to investigate the role of passion (Vallerand et al., 2003) for a given activity in the quality of interpersonal relationships experienced within the context of that activity in 4 studies. Study 1 demonstrated that a harmonious passion was positively associated with the quality of interpersonal relationships within the context of the passionate activity, whereas an obsessive passion was unrelated to it. Furthermore, in line with the broaden-and-build theory (Fredrickson, 2001), results also showed that positive emotions experienced at work fully mediated the relation between harmonious passion and quality of interpersonal relationships. Obsessive passion was not associated with positive emotions. Study 2 replicated the results from Study 1 while controlling for trait extraversion. Also, in Study 2, we examined the negative mediating role of negative emotions between obsessive passion and quality of interpersonal relationships. Finally, Studies 3 and 4 replicated the results of Study 2 with prospective designs and with objective ratings of interpersonal relationships quality. Implications for the dualistic model of passion and the broaden-and-build theory are discussed. (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).

Quality of the leader-member relationship and the organizational commitment of nurses.

PubMed

Nunes, Elisabete Maria Garcia Teles; Gaspar, Maria Filomena Mendes

2017-12-18

To understand the perception of the quality of leadership relationships and the organizational commitment of nurses, and to analyze the influence of this relationship quality. Cross-sectional and correlational study, with a quantitative approach, using a non-probability convenience sampling with 408 nurses. The data were collected through questionnaires at Central Hospital in Lisbon, between January and March 2013. The statistical analysis of the data was carried out using IBM® SPSS® Statistics 19 software. Three hundred forty-two questionnaires were considered valid. The quality of the leadership relationship was satisfactory, and the nurses were poorly committed to the organization. The quality of the leadership relationship was statistically correlated with organizational commitment: there was found a moderate association to affective commitment (rs=0.42, p<0.05), a low association with the normative commitment (rs=0.37, p<0.05), and a very low association with the calculative commitment (rs=0.14, p<0.05). Leadership exerts influence on organizational commitment. An opportunity to improve the quality of the leadership relationship between nurses and their leaders was found, with the consequent possibility of developing organizational commitment.

Measuring couple relationship quality in a rural African population: Validation of a Couple Functionality Assessment Tool in Malawi.

PubMed

Ruark, Allison; Chase, Rachel; Hembling, John; Davis, Valerie Rhoe; Perrin, Paul Clayton; Brewster-Lee, Dorothy

2017-01-01

Available data suggest that individual and family well-being are linked to the quality of women's and men's couple relationships, but few tools exist to assess couple relationship functioning in low- and middle-income countries. In response to this gap, Catholic Relief Services has developed a Couple Functionality Assessment Tool (CFAT) to capture valid and reliable data on various domains of relationship quality. This tool is designed to be used by interventions which aim to improve couple and family well-being as a means of measuring the effectiveness of these interventions, particularly related to couple relationship quality. We carried out a validation study of the CFAT among 401 married and cohabiting adults (203 women and 198 men) in rural Chikhwawa District, Malawi. Using psychometric scales, the CFAT addressed six domains of couple relationship quality (intimacy, partner support, sexual satisfaction, gender roles, decision-making, and communication and conflict management), and included questions on intimate partner violence. We used exploratory factor analysis to assess scale performance of each domain and produce a shortened Relationship Quality Index (RQI) composed of items from five relationship quality domains. This article reports the performance of the RQI. Internal reliability and validity of the RQI were found to be good. Regression analyses examined the relationship of the RQI to outcomes important to health and development: intra-household cooperation, positive health behaviors, intimate partner violence, and gender-equitable norms. We found many significant correlations between RQI scores and these couple- and family-level development issues. There is a need to further validate the tool with use in other populations as well as to continue to explore whether the observed linkages between couple functionality and development outcomes are causal relationships.

Measuring couple relationship quality in a rural African population: Validation of a Couple Functionality Assessment Tool in Malawi

PubMed Central

Chase, Rachel; Hembling, John; Davis, Valerie Rhoe; Perrin, Paul Clayton; Brewster-Lee, Dorothy

2017-01-01

Available data suggest that individual and family well-being are linked to the quality of women’s and men’s couple relationships, but few tools exist to assess couple relationship functioning in low- and middle-income countries. In response to this gap, Catholic Relief Services has developed a Couple Functionality Assessment Tool (CFAT) to capture valid and reliable data on various domains of relationship quality. This tool is designed to be used by interventions which aim to improve couple and family well-being as a means of measuring the effectiveness of these interventions, particularly related to couple relationship quality. We carried out a validation study of the CFAT among 401 married and cohabiting adults (203 women and 198 men) in rural Chikhwawa District, Malawi. Using psychometric scales, the CFAT addressed six domains of couple relationship quality (intimacy, partner support, sexual satisfaction, gender roles, decision-making, and communication and conflict management), and included questions on intimate partner violence. We used exploratory factor analysis to assess scale performance of each domain and produce a shortened Relationship Quality Index (RQI) composed of items from five relationship quality domains. This article reports the performance of the RQI. Internal reliability and validity of the RQI were found to be good. Regression analyses examined the relationship of the RQI to outcomes important to health and development: intra-household cooperation, positive health behaviors, intimate partner violence, and gender-equitable norms. We found many significant correlations between RQI scores and these couple- and family-level development issues. There is a need to further validate the tool with use in other populations as well as to continue to explore whether the observed linkages between couple functionality and development outcomes are causal relationships. PMID:29190769

Fathers for Change for Substance Use and Intimate Partner Violence: Initial Community Pilot.

PubMed

Stover, Carla Smith

2015-12-01

The lack of focus on the role of men as fathers within intervention programs for men with histories of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) or substance abuse is of significant concern given the large numbers of these men who are actively parenting and coparenting children. Fathers for Change is a new intervention designed to fill this gap. Eighteen fathers with co-occurring IPV and substance abuse were randomly assigned to Fathers for Change or Individual Drug Counseling (IDC). They were assessed at baseline, post-intervention and 3 months following the 16-week intervention period. Men in the Fathers for Change group: (1) were more likely to complete treatment; (2) reported significantly greater satisfaction with the program; (3) reported a trend toward less IPV; and (4) exhibited significantly less intrusiveness in coded play interactions with their children following treatment than fathers in the IDC group. Results indicate further evaluation of this intervention in a larger sample is warranted. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed. © 2015 Family Process Institute.

Testing a family intervention hypothesis: the contribution of mother-infant skin-to-skin contact (kangaroo care) to family interaction, proximity, and touch.

PubMed

Feldman, Ruth; Weller, Aron; Sirota, Lea; Eidelman, Arthur I

2003-03-01

The provision of maternal-infant body contact during a period of maternal separation was examined for its effects on parent-infant and triadic interactions. Participants were 146 three-month-old preterm infants and their parents, half of whom received skin-to-skin contact, or kangaroo care (KC), in the neonatal nursery. Global relational style and micro-patterns of proximity and touch were coded. Following KC, mothers and fathers were more sensitive and less intrusive, infants showed less negative affect, and family style was more cohesive. Among KC families, maternal and paternal affectionate touch of infant and spouse was more frequent, spouses remained in closer proximity, and infant proximity position was conducive to mutual gaze and touch during triadic play. The role of touch as a constituent of the co-regulatory parent-infant and triadic systems and the effects of maternal contact on mothering, co-parenting, and family processes are discussed.

Relationship between prenatal maternal stress and sleep quality in Chinese pregnant women: the mediation effect of resilience.

PubMed

Li, Guopeng; Kong, Linghua; Zhou, Haiyan; Kang, Xiaofei; Fang, Yueyan; Li, Ping

2016-09-01

To examine the relationship between prenatal maternal stress, resilience, and sleep quality, and to determine whether resilience plays a mediating role in the relationship between prenatal maternal stress and sleep quality among pregnant women. Two hundred and thirty-one pregnant women in their second trimester participated in the study. They completed questionnaires, including: the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Pregnancy Stress Rating Scale (PSRS), and the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10). A structural equation model was used to analyze the relationships among prenatal maternal stress, resilience, and sleep quality, with resilience as a mediator. Prenatal maternal stress was negatively associated with sleep quality in pregnant women (p < 0.01), whereas resilience was positively associated with sleep quality (p < 0.01). Furthermore, resilience mediated the relationship between prenatal maternal stress and sleep quality, and the mediation effect ratio was 22.0% (p < 0.01). The risk factor for disturbed sleep was pregnancy-specific stress; however, the protective factor for sleep quality was resilience. This finding could provide scientific evidence for the development of intervention strategies with which to improve sleep quality in pregnant women. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Relationship of geological and geothermal field properties: Midcontinent area, USA, an example

USGS Publications Warehouse

Forster, A.; Merriam, D.F.; Brower, J.C.

1993-01-01

Quantitative approaches to data analysis in the last decade have become important in basin modeling and mineral-resource estimation. The interrelation of geological, geophysical, geochemical, and geohydrological variables is important in adjusting a model to a real-world situation. Revealing the interdependences of variables can contribute in understanding the processes interacting in sedimentary basins. It is reasonably simple to compare spatial data of the same type but more difficult if different properties are involved. Statistical techniques, such as cluster analysis or principal components analysis, or some algebraic approaches can be used to ascertain the relations of standardized spatial data. In this example, structural configuration on five different stratigraphic horizons, one total sediment thickness map, and four maps of geothermal data were copared. As expected, the structural maps are highly related because all had undergone about the same deformation with differing degrees of intensity. The temperature gradients derived (1) from shallow borehole logging measurements under equilibrium conditions with the surrounding rock, and (2) from non-equilibrium bottom-hole temperatures (BHT) from deeper depths are mainly independent of each other. This was expected and confirmed also for the two temperature maps at 1000 ft which were constructed using both types of gradient values. Thus, it is evident that the use of a 2-point (BHT and surface temperature) straightline calculation of a mean temperature gradient gives different information about the geothermal regime than using gradients from temperatures logged under equilibrium conditions. Nevertheless, it is useful to determine to what a degree the larger dataset of nonequilibrium temperatures could reflect quantitative relationships to geologic conditions. Comparing all maps of geothermal information vs. the structural and the sediment thickness maps, it was determined that all correlations are moderately negative or slightly positive. These results are clearly shown by the cluster analysis and the principal components. Considering a close relationship between temperature and thermal conductivity of the sediments as observed for most of the Midcontinent area and relatively homogeneous heat-flow density conditions for the study area these results support the following assumptions: (1) undifferentiated geothermal gradients, computed from temperatures of different depth intervals and differing sediment properties, cannot contribute to an improved understanding of the temperature structure and its controls within the sedimentary cover, and (2) the quantitative approach of revealing such relations needs refined datasets of temperature information valid for the different depth levels or stratigraphic units. ?? 1993 International Association for Mathematical Geology.

A Multilevel Analysis of the Relationship Between Cell Sharing, Staff-Prisoner Relationships, and Prisoners' Perceptions of Prison Quality.

PubMed

Molleman, Toon; van Ginneken, Esther F J C

2015-09-01

Prisons worldwide operate under crowded conditions, in which prisoners are forced to share a cell. Few studies have looked at the relationship between cell sharing and the quality of prison life in Europe. This study aims to fill this gap with a multilevel analysis on the link between cell sharing and quality of prison life, using results from a Dutch prisoner survey. Findings show that cell sharing is associated with lower perceived prison quality, which is partially mediated by reduced quality of staff-prisoner relationships. Cell sharing thus undermines the Dutch penological philosophy, which considers staff-prisoner relationships to be at the heart of prisoner treatment and rehabilitation. It is recommended that prisoners are held in single rather than double cells. © The Author(s) 2014.

Links Among Italian Preschoolers’ Socio-Emotional Competence, Teacher-Child Relationship Quality and Peer Acceptance

PubMed Central

Sette, Stefania; Spinrad, Tracy; Baumgartner, Emma

2013-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relations of teacher-child relationship quality (close, conflictive, and dependent), children’s social behavior, and peer likability in a sample of Italian preschool-aged children (46 boys; 42 girls). Preschool teachers evaluated the quality of the teacher-child relationship and children’s social behaviors (i.e., social competence, anger-aggression, and anxiety-withdrawal). Peer-rated likability was measured using a sociometric procedure. Results indicated that conflictual teacher-child relationships were related to high aggressive behavior, and dependent teacher-child relationships were positively associated with children’s anxiety-withdrawal. Moreover, we found an indirect association between close teacher-child relationship quality and peer likability through children’s social competence. The findings provide evidence that the teacher-child relationship is critical for children’s social behaviors, and that social competence was uniquely related to peer likability. PMID:24039375

Links Among Italian Preschoolers' Socio-Emotional Competence, Teacher-Child Relationship Quality and Peer Acceptance.

PubMed

Sette, Stefania; Spinrad, Tracy; Baumgartner, Emma

2013-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relations of teacher-child relationship quality (close, conflictive, and dependent), children's social behavior, and peer likability in a sample of Italian preschool-aged children (46 boys; 42 girls). Preschool teachers evaluated the quality of the teacher-child relationship and children's social behaviors (i.e., social competence, anger-aggression, and anxiety-withdrawal). Peer-rated likability was measured using a sociometric procedure. Results indicated that conflictual teacher-child relationships were related to high aggressive behavior, and dependent teacher-child relationships were positively associated with children's anxiety-withdrawal. Moreover, we found an indirect association between close teacher-child relationship quality and peer likability through children's social competence. The findings provide evidence that the teacher-child relationship is critical for children's social behaviors, and that social competence was uniquely related to peer likability.

Relationship Quality and Domestic Violence in Women's Same-Sex Relationships: The Role of Minority Stress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balsam, Kimberly F.; Szymanski, Dawn M.

2005-01-01

Despite a large body of literature addressing relationship quality and domestic violence in women's same-sex relationships, few studies have empirically examined how stress specific to living as a lesbian or bisexual woman might correlate with these relationship variables. Degree of outness, internalized homophobia, lifetime and recent experiences…

Validating the German Version of the Quality of Relationship Inventory: Confirming the Three-Factor Structure and Report of Psychometric Properties

PubMed Central

Reiner, Iris; Beutel, Manfred; Skaletz, Christian; Brähler, Elmar; Stöbel-Richter, Yve

2012-01-01

Research on psychosocial influences such as relationship characteristics has received increased attention in the clinical as well as social-psychological field. Several studies demonstrated that the quality of relationships, in particular with respect to the perceived support within intimate relationships, profoundly affects individuals' mental and physical health. There is, however, a limited choice of valid and internationally known assessments of relationship quality in Germany. We report the validation of the German version of the Quality of Relationships Inventory (QRI). First, we evaluated its factor structure in a representative German sample of 1.494 participants by means of confirmatory factor analysis. Our findings support the previously proposed three-factor structure. Second, importance and satisfaction with different relationship domains (family/children and relationship/sexuality) were linked with the QRI scales, demonstrating high construct validity. Finally, we report sex and age differences regarding the perceived relationship support, conflict and depth in our German sample. In conclusion, the QRI is a reliable and valid measurement to assess social support in romantic relationships in the German population. PMID:22662151

Gender, Emotion Work, and Relationship Quality: A Daily Diary Study

PubMed Central

Curran, Melissa A.; McDaniel, Brandon T.; Pollitt, Amanda M.; Totenhagen, Casey J.

2015-01-01

We use the gender relations perspective from feminist theorizing to investigate how gender and daily emotion work predict daily relationship quality in 74 couples (148 individuals in dating, cohabiting, or married relationships) primarily from the southwest U.S. Emotion work is characterized by activities that enhance others’ emotional well-being. We examined emotion work two ways: trait (individuals’ average levels) and state (individuals’ daily fluctuations). We examined actor and partner effects of emotion work and tested for gender differences. As outcome variables, we included six types of daily relationship quality: love, commitment, satisfaction, closeness, ambivalence, and conflict. This approach allowed us to predict three aspects of relationship quality: average levels, daily fluctuations, and volatility (overall daily variability across a week). Three patterns emerged. First, emotion work predicted relationship quality in this diverse set of couples. Second, gender differences were minimal for fixed effects: Trait and state emotion work predicted higher average scores on, and positive daily increases in, individuals’ own positive relationship quality and lower average ambivalence. Third, gender differences were more robust for volatility: For partner effects, having a partner who reported higher average emotion work predicted lower volatility in love, satisfaction, and closeness for women versus greater volatility in love and commitment for men. Neither gender nor emotion work predicted average levels, daily fluctuations, or volatility in conflict. We discuss implications and future directions pertaining to the unique role of gender in understanding the associations between daily emotion work and volatility in daily relationship quality for relational partners. PMID:26508808

Gender, Emotion Work, and Relationship Quality: A Daily Diary Study.

PubMed

Curran, Melissa A; McDaniel, Brandon T; Pollitt, Amanda M; Totenhagen, Casey J

2015-08-01

We use the gender relations perspective from feminist theorizing to investigate how gender and daily emotion work predict daily relationship quality in 74 couples (148 individuals in dating, cohabiting, or married relationships) primarily from the southwest U.S. Emotion work is characterized by activities that enhance others' emotional well-being. We examined emotion work two ways: trait (individuals' average levels) and state (individuals' daily fluctuations). We examined actor and partner effects of emotion work and tested for gender differences. As outcome variables, we included six types of daily relationship quality: love, commitment, satisfaction, closeness, ambivalence, and conflict. This approach allowed us to predict three aspects of relationship quality: average levels, daily fluctuations, and volatility (overall daily variability across a week). Three patterns emerged. First, emotion work predicted relationship quality in this diverse set of couples. Second, gender differences were minimal for fixed effects: Trait and state emotion work predicted higher average scores on, and positive daily increases in, individuals' own positive relationship quality and lower average ambivalence. Third, gender differences were more robust for volatility: For partner effects, having a partner who reported higher average emotion work predicted lower volatility in love, satisfaction, and closeness for women versus greater volatility in love and commitment for men. Neither gender nor emotion work predicted average levels, daily fluctuations, or volatility in conflict. We discuss implications and future directions pertaining to the unique role of gender in understanding the associations between daily emotion work and volatility in daily relationship quality for relational partners.

Cultural Dynamics and Marital Relationship Quality in Mexican-origin Families

PubMed Central

Cruz, Rick A.; Gonzales, Nancy A.; Corona, Marissa; King, Kevin M.; Cauce, Ana Mari; Robins, Richard W.; Widaman, Keith F.; Conger, Rand D.

2014-01-01

Prior research suggests that acculturation may influence relationship outcomes among Mexican-origin married couples, including marital adjustment and distress. Despite much theory and research on parent-child cultural differences and disruptions in the parent-child relationship, no previous research has investigated possible associations between husband-wife cultural differences and marital relationship quality. With a sample of Mexican-origin married couples (N = 398), the current study investigated the relations between husband-wife differences in acculturation (American orientation) and enculturation (Mexican orientation) with husband and wife reports of positive marital qualities (warmth and relationship satisfaction). To clarify and extend previous research, the current study also investigated within-person models of cultural orientation domains as related to positive marital quality. Results provide partial evidence showing that dyadic cultural differences are associated with lower positive marital quality while cultural similarity is associated with higher positive marital quality; however, the relations are complex and suggest that the associations between wife cultural orientation and positive marital quality may depend on husband cultural orientation (and vice versa). Findings also implicate the importance of assessing spouse bidimensional cultural orientation by showing that the relation between spouse acculturation level and relationship quality may depend on his or her enculturation level. Additional nuances in the findings illustrate the importance of assessing multiple domains of cultural orientation, including language use and cultural values. We highlight several future directions for research investigating nuances in spouse cultural dynamics and relationship processes. PMID:25313819

Modeling the relationship between landscape characteristics and water quality in a typical highly intensive agricultural small watershed, Dongting lake basin, south central China.

PubMed

Li, Hongqing; Liu, Liming; Ji, Xiang

2015-03-01

Understanding the relationship between landscape characteristics and water quality is critically important for estimating pollution potential and reducing pollution risk. Therefore, this study examines the relationship between landscape characteristics and water quality at both spatial and temporal scales. The study took place in the Jinjing River watershed in 2010; seven landscape types and four water quality pollutions were chosen as analysis parameters. Three different buffer areas along the river were drawn to analyze the relationship as a function of spatial scale. The results of a Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis suggest that "source" landscape, namely, tea gardens, residential areas, and paddy lands, have positive effects on water quality parameters, while forests exhibit a negative influence on water quality parameters because they represent a "sink" landscape and the sub-watershed level is identified as a suitable scale. Using the principal component analysis, tea gardens, residential areas, paddy lands, and forests were identified as the main landscape index. A stepwise multiple regression analysis was employed to model the relationship between landscape characteristics and water quality for each season. The results demonstrate that both landscape composition and configuration affect water quality. In summer and winter, the landscape metrics explained approximately 80.7 % of the variance in the water quality variables, which was higher than that for spring and fall (60.3 %). This study can help environmental managers to understand the relationships between landscapes and water quality and provide landscape ecological approaches for water quality control and land use management.

Complementary effect of patient volume and quality of care on hospital cost efficiency.

PubMed

Choi, Jeong Hoon; Park, Imsu; Jung, Ilyoung; Dey, Asoke

2017-06-01

This study explores the direct effect of an increase in patient volume in a hospital and the complementary effect of quality of care on the cost efficiency of U.S. hospitals in terms of patient volume. The simultaneous equation model with three-stage least squares is used to measure the direct effect of patient volume and the complementary effect of quality of care and volume. Cost efficiency is measured with a data envelopment analysis method. Patient volume has a U-shaped relationship with hospital cost efficiency and an inverted U-shaped relationship with quality of care. Quality of care functions as a moderator for the relationship between patient volume and efficiency. This paper addresses the economically important question of the relationship of volume with quality of care and hospital cost efficiency. The three-stage least square simultaneous equation model captures the simultaneous effects of patient volume on hospital quality of care and cost efficiency.

Relationship quality and student engagement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Culver, Jennifer

The purpose of this study was to examine the qualities of support, relatedness, and negative interaction within parent-child and teacher-student relationships and their association with cognitive, psychological, and behavioral engagement. Additionally, this study explored the contributions of cognitive and psychological engagement on behavioral engagement. The role of gender, grade, and ethnicity on relationship quality and engagement was also considered. Participants (n=311) were students in grades three through five from a suburban school district in southeastern Michigan. Perceptions of teacher-student relationship quality varied by grade level. In general, younger students reported greater teacher support and relatedness in comparison to older students. Conversely, older students perceived greater conflict within the teacher-student relationship. Student engagement also varied by grade level, with younger students reporting greater engagement than older students. Ethnicity also contributed to variance in student engagement, with African American students reporting significantly more engagement than Caucasian or Multiracial students. Teacher-student relationship quality was a significant predictor of student engagement, even after controlling for student characteristics and parent-child relationship variables. Results of path analysis revealed that cognitive and psychological engagement contributed significantly to behavioral engagement.

Relationship quality and relationship context as antecedents of person- and task-focused interpersonal citizenship behavior.

PubMed

Settoon, Randall P; Mossholder, Kevin W

2002-04-01

A model hypothesizing relationship quality and relationship context as antecedents of two complementary forms of interpersonal citizenship behavior (ICB) was tested. Measures with coworkers as the frame of reference were used to collect data from 273 individuals working in 2 service-oriented organizations. As hypothesized, variables reflecting relationship quality were associated with person-focused ICB, as mediated by empathic concern. Also as hypothesized, a relationship context variable, network centrality, exhibited a direct relationship with task-focused ICB. Unexpectedly, network centrality was directly associated with person-focused ICB. and empathic concern was associated with task-focused ICB. The results are discussed, and implications for research and practice are offered.

Inhibitory Control Mediates the Association between Perceived Stress and Secure Relationship Quality.

PubMed

Herd, Toria; Li, Mengjiao; Maciejewski, Dominique; Lee, Jacob; Deater-Deckard, Kirby; King-Casas, Brooks; Kim-Spoon, Jungmeen

2018-01-01

Past research has demonstrated negative associations between exposure to stressors and quality of interpersonal relationships among children and adolescents. Nevertheless, underlying mechanisms of this association remain unclear. Chronic stress has been shown to disrupt prefrontal functioning in the brain, including inhibitory control abilities, and evidence is accumulating that inhibitory control may play an important role in secure interpersonal relationship quality, including peer problems and social competence. In this prospective longitudinal study, we examine whether changes in inhibitory control, measured at both behavioral and neural levels, mediate the association between stress and changes in secure relationship quality with parents and peers. The sample included 167 adolescents (53% males) who were first recruited at age 13 or 14 years and assessed annually three times. Adolescents' inhibitory control was measured by their behavioral performance and brain activities, and adolescents self-reported perceived stress levels and relationship quality with mothers, fathers, and peers. Results suggest that behavioral inhibitory control mediates the association between perceived stress and adolescent's secure relationship quality with their mothers and fathers, but not their peers. In contrast, given that stress was not significantly correlated with neural inhibitory control, we did not further test the mediation path. Our results highlight the role of inhibitory control as a process through which stressful life experiences are related to impaired secure relationship quality between adolescents and their mothers and fathers.

Inhibitory Control Mediates the Association between Perceived Stress and Secure Relationship Quality

PubMed Central

Herd, Toria; Li, Mengjiao; Maciejewski, Dominique; Lee, Jacob; Deater-Deckard, Kirby; King-Casas, Brooks; Kim-Spoon, Jungmeen

2018-01-01

Past research has demonstrated negative associations between exposure to stressors and quality of interpersonal relationships among children and adolescents. Nevertheless, underlying mechanisms of this association remain unclear. Chronic stress has been shown to disrupt prefrontal functioning in the brain, including inhibitory control abilities, and evidence is accumulating that inhibitory control may play an important role in secure interpersonal relationship quality, including peer problems and social competence. In this prospective longitudinal study, we examine whether changes in inhibitory control, measured at both behavioral and neural levels, mediate the association between stress and changes in secure relationship quality with parents and peers. The sample included 167 adolescents (53% males) who were first recruited at age 13 or 14 years and assessed annually three times. Adolescents’ inhibitory control was measured by their behavioral performance and brain activities, and adolescents self-reported perceived stress levels and relationship quality with mothers, fathers, and peers. Results suggest that behavioral inhibitory control mediates the association between perceived stress and adolescent’s secure relationship quality with their mothers and fathers, but not their peers. In contrast, given that stress was not significantly correlated with neural inhibitory control, we did not further test the mediation path. Our results highlight the role of inhibitory control as a process through which stressful life experiences are related to impaired secure relationship quality between adolescents and their mothers and fathers. PMID:29535664

Working alliance, real relationship, session quality, and client improvement in psychodynamic psychotherapy: A longitudinal actor partner interdependence model.

PubMed

Kivlighan, Dennis M; Hill, Clara E; Gelso, Charles J; Baumann, Ellen

2016-03-01

We used the Actor Partner Interdependence Model (APIM; Kashy & Kenny, 2000) to examine the dyadic associations of 74 clients and 23 therapists in their evaluations of working alliance, real relationship, session quality, and client improvement over time in ongoing psychodynamic or interpersonal psychotherapy. There were significant actor effects for both therapists and clients, with the participant's own ratings of working alliance and real relationship independently predicting their own evaluations of session quality. There were significant client partner effects, with clients' working alliance and real relationship independently predicting their therapists' evaluations of session quality. The client partner real relationship effect was stronger in later sessions than in earlier sessions. Therapists' real relationship ratings (partner effect) were a stronger predictor of clients' session quality ratings in later sessions than in earlier sessions. Therapists' working alliance ratings (partner effect) were a stronger predictor of clients' session quality ratings when clients made greater improvement than when clients made lesser improvement. For clients' session outcome ratings, there were complex three-way interactions, such that both Client real relationship and working alliance interacted with client improvement and time in treatment to predict clients' session quality. These findings strongly suggest both individual and partner effects when clients and therapists evaluate psychotherapy process and outcome. Implications for research and practice are discussed. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Sanctification and spiritual disclosure in parent-child relationships: implications for family relationship quality.

PubMed

Brelsford, Gina M

2013-08-01

Social scientific research on family life, religion, and spirituality tends to focus on global religiousness and spirituality with few studies seeking to understand interpersonal religious and spiritual contributors, namely sanctification and spiritual disclosure, from multiple family members' perspectives. This study explored 91 mother-college student and 64 father-college student dyads who rated their use of spiritual disclosure and theistic and nontheistic sanctification of the parent-child dyad in relation to parent-child relationship quality (e.g., parent-child relationship satisfaction and open communication). Results indicate significant positive links between higher levels of spiritual disclosure and greater theistic and nontheistic sanctification, for mothers, fathers, and their children. However, only greater nontheistic sanctification and higher levels spiritual disclosure were significantly related to increased parent-child relationship quality. Through use of Actor-Partner Interdependence Models (APIMs) results indicated unique contributions of spiritual disclosure to parent-child relationship quality above nontheistic sanctification for open communication in the family. However, full models, which included nontheistic sanctification and spiritual disclosure, predict college students' relationship satisfaction with their mothers and fathers. Implications for interpersonal religiousness and spirituality as contributors to familial relationship quality in research and practice are discussed. © 2013 American Psychological Association

Changes in the relationship between nursing home financial performance and quality of care under public reporting.

PubMed

Park, Jeongyoung; Werner, Rachel M

2011-07-01

The relationship between financial performance and quality of care in nursing homes is not well defined and prior work has been mixed. The recent focus on improving the quality of nursing homes through market-based incentives such as public reporting may have changed this relationship, as public reporting provides nursing homes with increased incentives to engage in quality-based competition. If quality improvement activities require substantial production costs, nursing home profitability may become a more important predictor of quality under public reporting. This study explores the relationship between financial performance and quality of care and test whether this relationship changes under public reporting. Using a 10-year (fiscal years 1997-2006) panel data set of 9444 skilled nursing facilities in the US, this study employs a facility fixed-effects with and without instrumental variables approach to test the effect of finances on quality improvement and correct for potential endogeneity. The results show that better financial performance, as reflected by the 1-year lagged total profit margin, is modestly associated with higher quality but only after public reporting is initiated. These findings have important policy implications as federal and state governments use market-based incentives to increase demand for high-quality care and induce providers to compete based on quality. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Relationship Quality in Interethnic Marriages and Cohabitations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hohmann-Marriott, Bryndl E.; Amato, Paul

2008-01-01

This study focuses on the factors underlying differences in relationship quality between interethnic and same-ethnic couples. Using the National Survey of Families and Households and the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, we examine relationship satisfaction, interpartner conflict and subjective assessments of relationship instability in…

Understanding the mediating effects of relationship quality on technology acceptance: an empirical study of e-appointment system.

PubMed

Chen, Shih-Chih; Liu, Shih-Chi; Li, Shing-Han; Yen, David C

2013-12-01

This study extends the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) by incorporating relationship quality as a mediator to construct a comprehensive framework for understanding the influence on continuance intention in the hospital e-appointment system. A survey of 334 Taiwanese citizens who were contacted via phone or the Internet and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is used for path analysis and hypothesis tests. The study shows that perceived ease of use (PEOU) and perceived usefulness (PU) have significant influence on continuance intention through the mediation of relationship quality, consisting of satisfaction and trust. The direct impact of relationship quality on continuance intention is also significant. The analytical results reveal that the relationship between the hospital, patients and e-appointment users can be improved via enhancing the continued usage of e-appointment. This paper also proposes a general model to synthesize the essence of PEOU, PU, and relationship quality for explaining users' continuous intention of e-appointment.

Perceptions about parents' relationship and parenting quality, attachment styles, and young adults' intimate expectations: a cluster analytic approach.

PubMed

Einav, Michal

2014-01-01

This study examines the associations between young adults' perceptions of their parents' intimate relationship and the quality of their parenting as predictors of their children's expectations about intimacy in their own future relationships. A sample of 111 young adults completed questionnaires assessing their perceptions regarding their parents' intimate relationship and parenting quality, their own attachment styles, and their own expectations regarding intimate relationships. A correlational analysis revealed a positive link between the parents' relationship and parenting quality, and between parenting quality and expectations about intimacy, which supports the attachment theory. A cluster analysis identified three distinct groups of parental profiles interrelated with attachment styles that had varying effects on their children's expectations about intimacy. These findings emphasize the unique characteristics of parental relations in the family of origin relations, which have an enduring effect on the interpersonal styles of adult children, providing additional support to an integrated, intergenerational approach to family dynamics.

Leadership in nursing and patient satisfaction in hospital context.

PubMed

Nunes, Elisabete Maria Garcia Teles; Gaspar, Maria Filomena Mendes

2016-06-01

Objectives to know the quality of the leadership relationship from the perspective of a chief nurse and nurse, patient satisfaction, the relationship between the quality of the relationship perceived for both and patient satisfaction. Methods a quantitative, transverse and correlational approach. Non-probabilistic convenience sample consists of 15 chief nurses, 342 nurses, 273 patients. Data collected at the Central Lisbon Hospital Center, between January and March 2013, through the LMX-7, CLMX-7 and SUCEH21 scales. Statistical analysis was performed through SPSS ® Statistics 19. Results the chief nurse considers the quality of the leadership relationship good, the nurses consider it satisfactory, patients are considered to be satisfied with nursing care; there is a statistically significant correlation between the quality of the leadership relationship from the perspective of chief nurses and patient satisfaction, there is no statistically significant correlation between the quality of the leadership relationship in the nurse's perspective and satisfaction. Conclusion the chief nurse has a major role in patient satisfaction.

Vitality and mental health in disability: Associations with social relationships in persons with spinal cord injury and their partners.

PubMed

Tough, Hannah; Fekete, Christine; Brinkhof, Martin W G; Siegrist, Johannes

2017-04-01

Various social relationship constructs have been proposed to affect mental health. However, these constructs have rarely been studied in a comprehensive way in persons with chronic disabilities and their partners, inhibiting researchers from evaluating their relative importance. To investigate 1) the variation in the quantity and quality of social relationships in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) and their partners; 2) dyadic coherence within social relationship constructs; 3) the interrelationships between social relationship constructs; and 4) the associations of social relationship constructs with vitality and mental health. Cross-sectional survey data from 133 couples of persons with SCI and their partners was used. Quantitative (social networks) and qualitative aspects (social support, relationship quality, loneliness, and reciprocity in partnerships) of social relationships were assessed. Correlations were performed to analyse dyadic coherence and interrelationships of social relationship constructs and multivariable regressions were applied to examine associations with vitality and mental health. Loneliness, larger social networks and higher relationship quality were more prevalent in SCI. All social relationship constructs, apart from loneliness, were more similar within couples than between couples and the interrelationships between different constructs were small. Qualitative aspects of relationships were more important than the quantitative aspects in their associations to vitality and mental health. These associations were most consistent for loneliness, reciprocity and relationship quality in both groups. In the long-term management of community functioning in persons with SCI and their partners, the fostering of high quality intimate relationships should take priority. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cross-Cultural Differences in the Experience of Grandparent-Grandchild Relationships and Related Psychosocial Outcomes.

PubMed

Hayslip, Bert; Toledo, Ray M; Henderson, Craig E; Rodriguez, R Mishelle; Caballero Vela, Daniela M

2018-01-01

This study examined grandchildren's perceptions of the quality of their relationship with their grandmothers and how these perceptions relate to psychosocial outcomes. Eighty-two youth from Mexico and 99 youth from the United States aged between 13 and 16 participated. Results suggested that both cultures benefit in unique ways from positive relationship with their grandmothers. Yet, there were also differences in the relational experience of grandmother-grandchild relationships across cultures. Specifically, grandchildren in the U.S. sample reported higher relationship quality, relational competency, and self-efficacy than the grandchildren in the Mexico sample. Within the U.S. sample, relationship quality was associated with grandchildren's relational competence, while in the Mexico sample, relationship quality was associated with self-efficacy. Limitations of the present study include restricted generalizability to other age groups and to grandfathers and that only one element of the grandparent-grandchild dyad was sampled. Longitudinal research will improve our understanding of the causal dynamics of grandparent-grandchild relationships.

The Best Laid Plans: An Examination of School Plan Quality and Implementation in a School Improvement Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strunk, Katharine O.; Marsh, Julie A.; Bush-Mecenas, Susan C.; Duque, Matthew R.

2016-01-01

Purpose: A common strategy used in school improvement efforts is a mandated process of formal planning, yet little is known about the quality of plans or the relationship between plan quality and implementation. This mixed-methods article investigates plan quality, factors associated with plan quality, and the relationship between plan quality and…

Extending the Intergenerational Stake Hypothesis: Evidence of an Intraindividual Stake and Implications for Well-Being

PubMed Central

Birditt, Kira S.; Hartnett, Caroline Sten; Fingerman, Karen L.; Zarit, Steven; Antonucci, Toni C.

2015-01-01

The intergenerational stake hypothesis suggests that parents are more invested in their children and experience better quality parent–child ties than do their children. In this study the authors examined variation in reports of relationship quality regarding parents and children intraindividually (do people report better quality ties with their children than with their parents?) and whether within-person variations have implications for well-being. Participants age 40–60 (N = 633) reported on their relationship quality (importance, positive and negative quality) with their parents and adult children. Individuals reported their relationships with children were more important and more negative than relationships with parents. Individuals with feelings that were in the opposite direction of the intergenerational stake hypothesis (i.e., greater investment in parents than children) reported poorer well-being. The findings provide support for the intergenerational stake hypothesis with regard to within-person variations in investment and show that negative relationship quality may coincide with greater feelings of investment. PMID:26339103

Identity and Perceived Peer Relationship Quality in Emerging Adulthood: The Mediating Role of Attachment-Related Emotions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doumen, Sarah; Smits, Ilse; Luyckx, Koen; Duriez, Bart; Vanhalst, Janne; Verschueren, Karine; Goossens, Luc

2012-01-01

Identity formation and the perceived quality of one's peer relationships are theorized to be intimately linked in emerging adulthood. The present study examined the associations between identity styles (i.e., information-oriented, normative, and diffuse-avoidant styles) and the quality of relationships with peers (as indexed by friendship quality…

Relationship between Problematic Internet Use, Depression and Quality of Life Levels of Turkish University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tekinarslan, Erkan

2017-01-01

The relationship between problematic Internet use (PIU), depression and quality of life levels of individuals is a growing concern in many societies. One of the main purposes of this study was to examine the relationships or correlations among PIU, depression and quality of life levels of Turkish undergraduate students. Furthermore, this study…

The Association between Various Shared Activities and the Quality of Parent-Child Relationships.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DiBlassio, Jamie; Calore, Kristen; Chambliss, Catherine

This study examined the association between various shared activities and the quality of parent-child relationships. Participating in the study were 211 undergraduate students attending a small liberal arts college. They completed a questionnaire in which they rated the quality of their relationship with their parents, the amount of contact they…

The Role of the Relationship with Parents with Respect to Work Orientation and Work Ethic.

PubMed

Leenders, Monique V E; Buunk, Abraham P; Henkens, Kène

2017-01-01

We examined the extent to which individual relationships with mother and father, social support from partner, and quality of the relationship with the partner, are related to work orientation and work ethic. Survey data were obtained from 3841 respondents from the Netherlands Kinship Panel Study (wave 2). The results showed that, overall, people with a more positive relationship with their parents had a more positive work orientation and a stronger work ethic. A positive relationship with the father had a greater influence on these work aspects than a positive relationship with the mother, particularly for men. Partner support and the quality of the partner relationship partially mediated the association between the relationship with one's parents and work orientation only for women. There were no significant relationships between partner support or the quality of the partner relationship, and work ethic. Research on the relationship with parents and work-related variables is discussed.

Social relationships in young adults at ultra high risk for psychosis.

PubMed

Robustelli, Briana L; Newberry, Raeana E; Whisman, Mark A; Mittal, Vijay A

2017-01-01

Studies suggest that individuals with schizophrenia have smaller social networks and less satisfying relationships. However, much is still unknown about the typical quantity and quality of social relationships in young adults during the ultra high-risk (UHR) period. Investigating these relationships holds significant importance for improving understanding of etiological processes, mapping the social environment, and highlighting treatment targets in a critical period. A total of 85 participants (44 UHR and 41 healthy controls) completed measures examining the participants' social relationships, social support, and loneliness. Mean differences between the UHR and healthy control participants and associations between social relationships and symptoms and functioning were examined. Results indicated significant differences between groups on several indices. Specifically, the UHR youth reported fewer close friends, less diverse social networks, less perceived social support, poorer relationship quality with family and friends, and more loneliness. Notably, within the UHR group, being lonely and having fewer and worse quality relationships was associated with greater symptom severity and lower overall functioning. This study suggests that youth at high-risk of developing psychosis have fewer and poorer quality social relationships. Interventions that focus on increasing the quantity and quality of young adults' social networks may be beneficial for this population. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Teachers' dispositional mindfulness and the quality of their relationships with children in Head Start classrooms.

PubMed

Becker, Brandon D; Gallagher, Kathleen C; Whitaker, Robert C

2017-12-01

The quality of teachers' relationships with children is a key predictor of children's later social emotional competence and academic achievement. Interventions to increase mindfulness among teachers have focused primarily on the impacts on teachers' subjective well-being, but not on the quality of their relationships with children. Furthermore, none of these interventions have involved preschool teachers. To consider the potential of mindfulness-based interventions to improve the quality of teachers' relationships with preschool-aged children, we examined data from an online survey of 1001 classroom teachers in 37 Pennsylvania Head Start Programs. Using path analysis we investigated the association between teachers' dispositional mindfulness and the quality of their relationships with children (conflict and closeness). We further examined whether this association was mediated by teacher depressive symptoms and moderated by perceived workplace stress. Higher levels of dispositional mindfulness among teachers were associated with higher quality relationships with children (less conflict and greater closeness). The association between greater dispositional mindfulness and less conflict was partially mediated by lower depressive symptoms, and the conditional direct effect of mindfulness on conflict was stronger when perceived workplace stress was lower. These findings suggest that preschool teachers who have higher levels of dispositional mindfulness may experience higher quality relationships with children in their classrooms. Interventions to increase levels of dispositional mindfulness among early childhood educators may improve their well-being along with the quality of their relationships with children, potentially impacting children's educational outcomes. The potential impacts of such interventions may be even stronger if structural and systemic changes are also made to reduce workplace stress. Copyright © 2017 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Teacher-child relationships and classroom-learning behaviours of children with developmental language disorders.

PubMed

Rhoad-Drogalis, Anna; Justice, Laura M; Sawyer, Brook E; O'Connell, Ann A

2018-03-01

Children with developmental language disorders (DLDs) often struggle with classroom behaviour. No study has examined whether positive teacher-child relationships may act as a protective factor for children with DLDs in that these serve to enhance children's important classroom-learning behaviours. To examine the association between the quality of teacher-child relationships and teacher-rated classroom-learning behaviours of children with DLDs in both preschool and kindergarten. Longitudinal data were collected on 191 preschoolers (mean = 42.4 months of age, SD = 11.6 months) with DLDs in special education classrooms during preschool and in kindergarten. Teacher-child relationship quality was assessed in preschool, and children's classroom-learning behaviours were measured in preschool and kindergarten. Regression models were used to examine the relationship between teacher-child relationship quality and children's concurrent and future classroom-learning behaviours. Positive teacher-child relationship quality in preschool was associated with better classroom-learning behaviours in preschool and kindergarten for children with DLDs. Preschool teacher-child relationship quality characterized by low levels of conflict and high levels of closeness was associated with positive classroom-learning behaviours during preschool. Teacher-child conflict but not closeness was predictive of children's classroom-learning behaviours in kindergarten. These results suggest that the quality of the teacher-child relationship for children with DLDs during preschool is associated within their learning-related behaviours in the classroom both concurrently and in the subsequent year. Findings suggest that teacher-child relationships should be explored as a mechanism for improving the learning-related behaviours of children with DLDs. © 2017 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

Social Relationships and Children's Subjective Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goswami, Haridhan

2012-01-01

The quality of relationships is now recognised as an important aspect of children's subjective well-being. This article focuses on both positive and negative quality of relationships. It includes six areas of children's relationships--family, neighbourhood adults, positive affect friendship, negative affect friendship, experiences of being bullied…

[Study of the relationship between human quality and reliability].

PubMed

Long, S; Wang, C; Wang, L i; Yuan, J; Liu, H; Jiao, X

1997-02-01

To clarify the relationship between human quality and reliability, 1925 experiments in 20 subjects were carried out to study the relationship between disposition character, digital memory, graphic memory, multi-reaction time and education level and simulated aircraft operation. Meanwhile, effects of task difficulty and enviromental factor on human reliability were also studied. The results showed that human quality can be predicted and evaluated through experimental methods. The better the human quality, the higher the human reliability.

National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization

MedlinePlus

... FEPC) National Data Set (NDS) Survey of Team Attitudes and Relationships (STAR) Quality Reporting QAPI Resources Quality ... moments my.nhpco Episode 27: Survey of Team Attitudes and Relationships High quality education that comes right ...

Running With the Pack: Teen Peer-Relationship Qualities as Predictors of Adult Physical Health

PubMed Central

Allen, Joseph P.; Uchino, Bert N.; Hafen, Christopher A.

2015-01-01

This study assessed qualities of adolescent peer relationships as long-term predictors of physical health quality in adulthood. In an intensive multimethod, multireporter study of a community sample of 171 individuals assessed repeatedly from the ages of 13 to 27 years, physical health quality in adulthood was robustly predicted by independent reports of early-adolescent close-friendship quality and by a pattern of acquiescence to social norms in adolescent peer relationships. Predictions remained after accounting for numerous potential confounds, including prior health problems, concurrent body mass index, anxious and depressive symptoms, personality characteristics, adolescent-era financial adversity, and adolescent-era physical attractiveness. These findings have important implications for understanding the unique intensity of peer relationships in adolescence. PMID:26290522

Is Sexual Activity During Adolescence Good for Future Romantic Relationships?

PubMed

Shulman, Shmuel; Seiffge-Krenke, Inge; Walsh, Sophie D

2017-09-01

Past research has consistently shown that romantic experiences during adolescence affect the nature and quality of romantic relationships during emerging adulthood. However, less is known about the role of adolescent sexual experiences in future sexual and romantic relationships. The current study examined the impact of different forms of sexual activity at age 16 (within a romantic relationship or casual encounters) on the nature and quality of sexual experiences in romantic relationships at age 23. One hundred and forty four (59.7% females) 16 year olds reported on their sexual activity within a romantic relationship or sexual encounters. In addition they reported on the quality of relationships they were involved in and their tendency to suppress emotions (included as an aspect of personality). At age 23 they reported on their romantic and sexual experiences during the past 2 years (number of short lived relationships, numbers of friends with benefits, casual sex encounters) and the quality of their romantic relationships (the duration of their longest relationship, partner support and feelings of certainty in the relationships). Findings showed that the tendency to suppress emotions was associated with lower likelihood to engage in casual sex at age 23. However, greater sexual experience in casual encounters during adolescence was consistently longitudinally associated with different forms of casual sexual encounters and short romantic involvements above and beyond the contribution of personality. In contrast, sexual activity within a romantic relationship predicted only a few indices of the quality of romantic involvement at age 23. The distinctive role of casual sexual activity and sexual activity within a romantic relationship for future sexual and romantic activities is discussed.

Strained Bedfellows: An Actor-Partner Analysis of Spousal Attachment Insecurity and Sleep Quality.

PubMed

Kent de Grey, Robert G; Uchino, Bert N; Pietromonaco, Paula R; Hogan, Jasara N; Smith, Timothy W; Cronan, Sierra; Trettevik, Ryan

2018-05-17

The quality of interpersonal ties-especially closer relationships-appears to be associated with physical health outcomes. Sleep is one pathway through which relationships and health appear to be linked, but this has been inadequately investigated in the context of dyadic attachment. The present study examined links between relationship-specific attachment anxiety (which can involve preoccupation with one's partner, negative relationship cognitions, and fear of abandonment) and avoidance (e.g., low emotional investment or intimacy) and sleep quality. Attachment, assessed using the Experience in Close Relationship (ECR), was used to predict Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Inventory (PSQI)-assessed sleep quality in 92 married heterosexual couples via actor-partner interdependence models. Depression was examined as a potential mediator of this association. Consistent with hypotheses, actors' anxious attachment predicted diminished quality of their own sleep, whereas actors' avoidant attachment was unrelated to their own sleep quality. Results further suggested that couples in which both spouses were higher in attachment anxiety experience better sleep quality (b = -0.74, SE = 0.28, p = .0082, 95% CI [-1.287, -0.196]). Conversely, couples in which both spouses were higher in attachment avoidance showed poorer sleep quality (b = 0.56, SE = 0.23, p = .0188, 95% CI [0.095, 1.016]). These effects were found to be independent of marital satisfaction and depression. Some evidence was also consistent with mediation of links between attachment and sleep quality via depression. Results suggest adult romantic attachment and sleep are associated in complex ways, highlighting the importance of dyadic approaches to the study of relationships, sleep, and health.

Scale effects on spatially varying relationships between urban landscape patterns and water quality.

PubMed

Sun, Yanwei; Guo, Qinghai; Liu, Jian; Wang, Run

2014-08-01

Scientific interpretation of the relationships between urban landscape patterns and water quality is important for sustainable urban planning and watershed environmental protection. This study applied the ordinary least squares regression model and the geographically weighted regression model to examine the spatially varying relationships between 12 explanatory variables (including three topographical factors, four land use parameters, and five landscape metrics) and 15 water quality indicators in watersheds of Yundang Lake, Maluan Bay, and Xinglin Bay with varying levels of urbanization in Xiamen City, China. A local and global investigation was carried out at the watershed-level, with 50 and 200 m riparian buffer scales. This study found that topographical features and landscape metrics are the dominant factors of water quality, while land uses are too weak to be considered as a strong influential factor on water quality. Such statistical results may be related with the characteristics of land use compositions in our study area. Water quality variations in the 50 m buffer were dominated by topographical variables. The impact of landscape metrics on water quality gradually strengthen with expanding buffer zones. The strongest relationships are obtained in entire watersheds, rather than in 50 and 200 m buffer zones. Spatially varying relationships and effective buffer zones were verified in this study. Spatially varying relationships between explanatory variables and water quality parameters are more diversified and complex in less urbanized areas than in highly urbanized areas. This study hypothesizes that all these varying relationships may be attributed to the heterogeneity of landscape patterns in different urban regions. Adjustment of landscape patterns in an entire watershed should be the key measure to successfully improving urban lake water quality.

The Association of Couples' Relationship Status and Quality with Breastfeeding Initiation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibson-Davis, Christina M.; Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne

2007-01-01

Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Survey (N= 3,567), we examine the links between relationship status, relationship quality, and race and ethnicity in breastfeeding initiation. We consider four relationship types: married, cohabiting, romantically involved but not cohabiting (termed visiting), and nonromantically involved…

The Romantic Relationships of Adolescents With ADHD.

PubMed

Rokeach, Alan; Wiener, Judith

2018-01-01

This study compared the romantic relationships of adolescents with and without ADHD with regard to romantic involvement, relationship content, and relationship quality. A community sample of 58 participants (30 ADHD, 28 Comparison), ages 13 to 18, completed questionnaires assessing various features of romantic relationships. Adolescents with ADHD reported having more romantic partners than their typically developing (TD) peers. Females with ADHD were found to have shorter romantic relationships than TD adolescents while males with ADHD reported their age of first intercourse to be nearly 2 years sooner than TD peers. Irrespective of gender, adolescents with ADHD had nearly double the number of lifetime sexual partners. However, the romantic relationships of adolescents with and without ADHD did not differ on levels of aggression or relationship quality. Given the outcomes associated with poor-quality romantic relationships, comprehensive assessments of adolescents with ADHD should include queries into their romantic relationships.

Organizational dimensions of relationship-centered care. Theory, evidence, and practice.

PubMed

Safran, Dana Gelb; Miller, William; Beckman, Howard

2006-01-01

Four domains of relationship have been highlighted as the cornerstones of relationship-centered health care. Of these, clinician-patient relationships have been most thoroughly studied, with a rich empirical literature illuminating significant linkages between clinician-patient relationship quality and a wide range of outcomes. This paper explores the realm of clinician-colleague relationships, which we define to include the full array of relationships among clinicians, staff, and administrators in health care organizations. Building on a stream of relevant theories and empirical literature that have emerged over the past decade, we synthesize available evidence on the role of organizational culture and relationships in shaping outcomes, and posit a model of relationship-centered organizations. We conclude that turning attention to relationship-centered theory and practice in health care holds promise for advancing care to a new level, with breakthroughs in quality of care, quality of life for those who provide it, and organizational performance.

Organizational Dimensions of Relationship-centered Care

PubMed Central

Safran, Dana Gelb; Miller, William; Beckman, Howard

2006-01-01

Four domains of relationship have been highlighted as the cornerstones of relationship-centered health care. Of these, clinician-patient relationships have been most thoroughly studied, with a rich empirical literature illuminating significant linkages between clinician-patient relationship quality and a wide range of outcomes. This paper explores the realm of clinician-colleague relationships, which we define to include the full array of relationships among clinicians, staff, and administrators in health care organizations. Building on a stream of relevant theories and empirical literature that have emerged over the past decade, we synthesize available evidence on the role of organizational culture and relationships in shaping outcomes, and posit a model of relationship-centered organizations. We conclude that turning attention to relationship-centered theory and practice in health care holds promise for advancing care to a new level, with breakthroughs in quality of care, quality of life for those who provide it, and organizational performance. PMID:16405711

It Takes Two to Tango: How Parents' and Adolescents' Personalities Link to the Quality of Their Mutual Relationship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denissen, Jaap J. A.; van Aken, Marcel A. G.; Dubas, Judith S.

2009-01-01

According to J. Belsky's (1984) process model of parenting, both adolescents' and parents' personality should exert a significant impact on the quality of their mutual relationship. Using multi-informant, symmetric data on the Big Five personality traits and the relationship quality of mothers, fathers, and two adolescent children, the current…

Associations of Perceived Sibling and Parent-Child Relationship Quality with Internalizing and Externalizing Problems: Comparing Indian and Dutch Early Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buist, Kirsten L.; Verhoeven, Marjolein; Hoksbergen, René; ter Laak, Jan; Watve, Sujala; Paranjpe, Analpa

2017-01-01

The aims of the present study were (a) to examine whether Dutch and Indian early adolescents differ concerning sibling and parent-child relationship quality and externalizing and internalizing problems, and (b) to compare the associations between sibling and parent-child relationship quality and externalizing and internalizing problems for Indian…

Desire to Institutionalize a Relative with Dementia: Quality of Premorbid Relationship and Caregiver Gender

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winter, Laraine; Gitlin, Laura N.; Dennis, Marie

2011-01-01

The quality of the relationship between individuals with dementia and their family caregivers has an impact on important clinical outcomes for both. It is unclear, however, how quality of relationship (QoR) affects caregivers' desire to place their relative in a nursing home. We examined the association of QoR with caregivers' desire to…

Mediation and Moderation: Testing Relationships between Symptom Status, Functional Health, and Quality of Life in HIV Patients

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryu, Ehri; West, Stephen G.; Sousa, Karen H.

2009-01-01

We extended Wilson and Cleary's (1995) health-related quality of life model to examine the relationships among symptom status (Symptoms), functional health (Disability), and quality of life (QOL). Using a community sample (N = 956) of male HIV positive patients, we tested a mediation model in which the relationship between Symptoms and QOL is…

Mothers' and Fathers' Ratings of Family Relationship Quality: Associations with Preadolescent and Adolescent Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms in a Clinical Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Queen, Alexander H.; Stewart, Lindsay M.; Ehrenreich-May, Jill; Pincus, Donna B.

2013-01-01

This study examined the independent associations among three family relationship quality factors--cohesion, expressiveness, and conflict--with youth self-reported depressive and anxiety symptoms in a clinical sample of anxious and depressed youth. Ratings of family relationship quality were obtained through both mother and father report. The…

Depressive Symptoms, Friend and Partner Relationship Quality, and Posttreatment Abstinence*

PubMed Central

McKee, Laura G.; Bonn-Miller, Marcel O.; Moos, Rudolf H.

2011-01-01

Objective: This study employed a prospective design to examine the role of friend and partner relationship quality 1 year following substance use disorder treatment in the association between depressive symptoms at discharge from treatment and abstinence from substance use 2 years after treatment. Method: The sample consisted of 1,453 male veterans who used alcohol and at least one other substance in the 3 months before treatment admission, who completed treatment, and who were abstinent from substances during the 2 weeks before discharge. Results: Fewer depressive symptoms at treatment discharge predicted better relationship quality with friends and a partner at 1 -year follow-up, as well as abstinence from substance use at 2-year follow-up. Furthermore, friend and partner relationship quality at 1 year predicted abstinence from substance use at 2 years. Friend relationship quality at 1 year mediated part of the association between fewer depressive symptoms at treatment discharge and abstinence at 2-year follow-up. Conclusions: A stronger focus in treatment on reducing depressive symptoms and enhancing the quality of patients' relationships with their friends and partner may increase the likelihood of long-term abstinence. PMID:21138721

Perceptual market orientation gap and its impact on relationship quality and patient loyalty: the role of internal marketing.

PubMed

Huang, Jin-An; Weng, Rhay-Hung; Lai, Chi-Shiun; Hu, Jer-San

2013-06-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptual market orientation gaps between physician and patients and its impact on relationship quality and patient loyalty, and to verify the critical role of internal marketing on developing market orientation. Self-administered questionnaires were then employed to collect the data. We used a convenience sample of physicians and patients at a medical center in central Taiwan, and 90 usable questionnaires from physicians and 450 usable questionnaires from patients were returned. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to validate the research hypotheses. Physicians' perceptual market orientation had a positive influence on physician-patient relationship quality, hospital-patient relationship quality, and patient loyalty, but the perceptual market orientation gap between physicians and their patients had a direct negative impact on these constructs. Finally, internal marketing was found to have an influence on relationship quality and patient loyalty through the mediation of market orientation. In order to enhance relationship quality and patient loyalty, hospital managers should focus their efforts on improving employees' market orientation and reducing patients' perceptual market orientation gap. In addition, internal marketing was found to be a useful pathway in developing market orientation.

Quality Circles at Wilford Hall U.S.A.F. Medical Center, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas: Some Preliminary Findings

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-08-01

relationships which can be identified from one sample population and generalized to cause and effect in different persons, settings, and times...affect the cause-and-effect relationship which one can draw with a civilian group? Will it be pos- sible to generalize about other groups within... relationship about quality circles obtained in a military health care facility be generalized to a civil- ian one? Can a causal relationship about quality

The impact of HMO penetration on the relationship between nurse staffing and quality.

PubMed

Mark, Barbara A; Harless, David W; McCue, Michael

2005-07-01

While there are a number of studies examining the relationship between nurse staffing and quality, none has examined structural differences in the relationship between nurse staffing and quality contingent upon the level of managed care penetration. We used administrative data, and a dynamic panel data model to examine this relationship in a panel of 422 acute care hospitals from 1990 to 1995. We found that there were significant differences in the relationship between nurse staffing and both mortality and length of stay depending upon the level of HMO penetration in the hospital's market.

Different roles and different results: how activity orientations correspond to relationship quality and student outcomes in school-based mentoring.

PubMed

Keller, Thomas E; Pryce, Julia M

2012-02-01

This prospective, mixed-methods study investigated how the nature of joint activities between volunteer mentors and student mentees corresponded to relationship quality and youth outcomes. Focusing on relationships in school-based mentoring programs in low-income urban elementary schools, data were obtained through pre-post assessments, naturalistic observations, and in-depth interviews with mentors and mentees. Adopting an exploratory approach, the study employed qualitative case study methods to inductively identify distinctive patterns reflecting the focus of mentoring activities. The activity orientations of relationships were categorized according to the primary functional role embodied by the mentor and the general theme of interactions: teaching assistant/tutoring, friend/engaging, sage/counseling, acquaintance/floundering. Next, these categories were corroborated by comparing the groups on quantitative assessments of relationship quality and change in child outcomes over time. Relationships characterized by sage mentoring, which balanced amicable engagement with adult guidance, were rated most favorably by mentees on multiple measures of relationship quality. Furthermore, students involved in sage mentoring relationships showed declines in depressive symptoms and aggressive behaviors. For disconnected pairs (acquaintances), students reported more negative relationship experiences. Findings suggest effective mentoring relationships represent a hybrid between the friendly mutuality of horizontal relationships and the differential influence of vertical relationships.

Accentuating the Positive, Eliminating the Negative? Relationship Maintenance as a Predictor of Two-Dimensional Relationship Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malinen, Kaisa; Tolvanen, Asko; Ronka, Anna

2012-01-01

In this study, relationship maintenance and its connections with positive and negative relationship quality were examined among Finnish parents (N = 177 women and 153 men; i.e., partners from 150 couples and 27 women and 3 men whose partner did not participate in the study). Relationship maintenance was measured using Stafford, Dainton, and Haas's…

Sexual communication, sexual satisfaction, and relationship quality in people with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Valvano, Abbey K; Rollock, Michael J D; Hudson, William H; Goodworth, Marie-Christine Rutter; Lopez, Eliot; Stepleman, Lara

2018-05-01

This study sought to explore relationships between sexual satisfaction, sexual communication and relationship satisfaction in people living with multiple sclerosis (MS). Specifically, sexual satisfaction was evaluated as a moderator between sexual communication and relationship satisfaction. Individuals diagnosed with MS and being treated in a hospital-based MS clinic in the southeastern United States (n = 58) completed measures of sexual satisfaction, sexual communication, sexual dysfunction, relationship quality, depression, level of disability, and frequency of sex-related communication and behaviors in a cross-sectional survey design. Sexual satisfaction moderated the relationship between quality of sexual communication and relationship quality, controlling for depression and frequency of sexual behavior and sexual communication. Directionality was examined in a 2nd regression analysis, in which the predictor and outcome variables were switched, which was also significant. Additionally, depression most strongly predicted relationship dissatisfaction. Findings help to establish sexual satisfaction as a moderator between sexual communication and relationship satisfaction, although directionality cannot be supported. Results also highlight the role of depression in overall relationship functioning and support the biopsychosocial model of care for treatment of sexual dysfunction in people living with MS. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

The neuropeptide oxytocin modulates consumer brand relationships.

PubMed

Fürst, Andreas; Thron, Jesko; Scheele, Dirk; Marsh, Nina; Hurlemann, René

2015-10-09

Each year, companies invest billions of dollars into marketing activities to embellish brands as valuable relationship partners assuming that consumer brand relationships (CBRs) and interpersonal relationships rest upon the same neurobiological underpinnings. Given the crucial role of the neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) in social bonding, this study tests whether OXT-based mechanisms also determine the bond between consumers and brands. We conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled study involving 101 subjects and analyzed the effect of intranasal OXT on consumers' attribution of relationship qualities to brands, brands paired with human celebrity endorsers, and familiar persons. OXT indeed promoted the attribution of relationship qualities not only in the case of social and semi-social stimuli, but also brands. Intriguingly, for subjects scoring high on autistic-like traits, the effect of OXT was completely reversed, evident in even lower relationship qualities across all stimulus categories. The importance of OXT in a CBR context is further corroborated by a three-fold increase in endogenous release of OXT following exposure to one's favorite brand and positive associations between baseline peripheral OXT concentrations and brand relationship qualities. Collectively, our findings indicate that OXT not only plays a fundamental role in developing interpersonal relationships, but also enables relationship formation with objects such as brands.

Prospective relationships of physical activity with quality of life among colorectal cancer survivors

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Physical activity can enhance quality of life for cancer survivors. However, few longitudinal studies have examined whether physical activity has a sustained effect on improvements in quality of life. The present study aims to examine the relationships between physical activity and quality of life o...

Investigating attachment, caregiving, and mental health: a model of maternal-fetal relationships.

PubMed

Walsh, Judi; Hepper, Erica G; Marshall, Benjamin J

2014-11-19

Maternal-fetal relationships have been associated with psychosocial outcomes for women and children, but there has been a lack of conceptual clarity about the nature of the maternal relationship with the unborn child, and inconsistent findings assessing its predictors. We proposed and tested a model whereby maternal-fetal relationship quality was predicted by factors relating to the quality of the couple relationship and psychological health. We hypothesized that the contribution of individual differences in romantic attachment shown in past research would be mediated by romantic caregiving responsiveness, as maternal-fetal relationships reflect the beginnings of the caregiving system. 258 women in pregnancy (13, 23, and 33-weeks gestation) completed online measures of attachment to partner, caregiving responsiveness to partner, mental health, and thoughts about their unborn baby. Structural equation modeling was used to test a model of maternal-fetal relationships. Maternal-fetal relationship quality was higher for women at 23-weeks than 13-weeks gestation. Women in first pregnancies had higher self-reported scores of psychological functioning and quality of maternal-fetal relationships than women in subsequent pregnancies. Structural equation models indicated that the quality of the maternal-fetal relationship was best predicted by romantic caregiving responsiveness to partner and women's own psychological health, and that the association between adult romantic attachment avoidance and maternal-fetal relationships was fully mediated by caregiving responsiveness to partner, even after controlling for other factors. These data support the hypothesis that maternal-fetal relationships better reflect the operation of the caregiving system than the care-seeking (i.e., attachment) system. Models of maternal-fetal relationships and interventions with couples should consider the role of caregiving styles of mothers to partners and the relationship between expectant parents alongside other known predictors, particularly psychological health.

Power distance and mentor-protégé relationship quality as moderators of the relationship between informal mentoring and burnout: evidence from China.

PubMed

Qian, Jing; Han, Zhuo; Wang, Haiwan; Li, Xiaoyan; Wang, Qiuyue

2014-01-01

The topic of how to prevent and reduce burnout has drawn great attention from researchers and practitioners in recent years. However, we know little about how mentoring as a form of social support exerts influence on employee burnout. This study aims to examine the contingency side of the mentoring-burnout relationship by addressing the exploratory question of whether individual differences in power distance and relationship quality play important roles in mentoring effectiveness in terms of reducing a protégé's burnout level. A total of 210 employees from a technology communications company completed the survey questionnaire. (1) A protégés' power distance moderates the negative relationship between mentoring and burnout in such a way that the relationship is stronger for protégés who are lower rather than higher in power distance; (2) mentor-protégé relationship quality moderates the negative relationship between mentoring and burnout in such a way that the relationship is stronger when the relationship quality is higher rather than lower. In sum, our results highlight the importance of studying the contingency side of mentoring effects on protégé burnout. Our findings suggest that the individuals' different cultural values of power distance and mentor-protégé relationship quality are the boundary conditions for the mentoring-burnout relationship. We therefore suggest that research on mentoring-burnout will be advanced by considering the role of the moderating process.

Close relationships and attributions for peer victimization among late adolescents.

PubMed

Chen, Xiaochen; Graham, Sandra

2012-12-01

This study examined the effect of close relationships (best friendship and romantic relationship) on late adolescents' casual attributions for peer victimization. A total of 1106 twelfth grade students completed self-report measures of perceived peer victimization, self-blame attribution, psychological maladjustment (loneliness and social anxiety), and quality of close peer relationships. Results indicated that self-blame partly mediated the link between peer victimization and psychological maladjustment. Relationship quality moderated the victimization-self-blame relation. Participants were more likely to endorse self-blame attributions for peer victimization when they had a negative relationship with a best friend or romantic partner. The moderated effect of negative best friendship quality was only significant for girls, whereas the moderated effect of negative romantic relationship quality was only significant for boys. Implications of these findings for future research on close relations during adolescence and for interventions to reduce the effects of peer victimization were discussed. Copyright © 2012 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The precarious couple effect: verbally inhibited men + critical, disinhibited women = bad chemistry.

PubMed

Swann, William B; Rentfrow, Peter J; Gosling, Samuel D

2003-12-01

When critical, verbally disinhibited women are paired with verbally inhibited men, relationship quality suffers, rendering the relationship precarious. This effect theoretically emerges when (a). verbally disinhibited women pair with relatively inhibited men (man-more-inhibited couples) and (b). the disinhibition of women in man-more-inhibited couples amplifies women's criticalness and alienates men. Three studies (Ns=437, 300, and 564) provided evidence that relationship quality suffered in man-more-inhibited couples; a 4th study (N=168) showed that the criticalness of women in man-more-inhibited couples did indeed undermine relationship quality. Implications for understanding the impact of gender expectations on relationships and for integrating behavioral and personological approaches to close relationships are discussed.

Relationship Between Diet and Mental Health in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Quirk, Shae E.; Housden, Siobhan; Brennan, Sharon L.; Williams, Lana J.; Pasco, Julie A.; Berk, Michael; Jacka, Felice N.

2014-01-01

We systematically reviewed 12 epidemiological studies to determine whether an association exists between diet quality and patterns and mental health in children and adolescents; 9 explored the relationship using diet as the exposure, and 3 used mental health as the exposure. We found evidence of a significant, cross-sectional relationship between unhealthy dietary patterns and poorer mental health in children and adolescents. We observed a consistent trend for the relationship between good-quality diet and better mental health and some evidence for the reverse. When including only the 7 studies deemed to be of high methodological quality, all but 1 of these trends remained. Findings highlight the potential importance of the relationship between dietary patterns or quality and mental health early in the life span. PMID:25208008

Attachment states of mind and the quality of young adults' sibling relationships.

PubMed

Fortuna, Keren; Roisman, Glenn I; Haydon, Katherine C; Groh, Ashley M; Holland, Ashley S

2011-09-01

This report examines young adults' states of mind regarding their early attachment experiences in relation to the observed and perceived quality of their sibling relationships. Sixty sibling pairs (18-25 years of age) were (a) administered the Adult Attachment Interview (George, Kaplan, & Main, 1985), (b) videotaped during a conflict resolution task, and (c) asked to describe the quality of their relationship using the Adult Sibling Relationship Questionnaire (Stocker, Lanthier, & Furman, 1997). As hypothesized, dismissing states of mind were associated with lower levels of positive and negative affect while participants attempted to resolve an area of conflict with a sibling as well as with relatively low levels of reported warmth in the relationship. In contrast-but also in line with predictions-preoccupied states of mind were associated with heightened expression of negative affect toward a brother or sister, and the siblings of highly preoccupied individuals reported more conflict in their relationships. Findings provide further support for the importance of young adults' representations of childhood attachment experiences with respect to the quality of their adult relationships. In addition, this study extends previous findings regarding the significance of dismissing versus preoccupied states of mind by demonstrating that these dimensions are differentially associated with behavioral and self-reported aspects of sibling relationship quality in early adulthood.

Running With the Pack: Teen Peer-Relationship Qualities as Predictors of Adult Physical Health.

PubMed

Allen, Joseph P; Uchino, Bert N; Hafen, Christopher A

2015-10-01

This study assessed qualities of adolescent peer relationships as long-term predictors of physical health quality in adulthood. In an intensive multimethod, multireporter study of a community sample of 171 individuals assessed repeatedly from the ages of 13 to 27 years, physical health quality in adulthood was robustly predicted by independent reports of early-adolescent close-friendship quality and by a pattern of acquiescence to social norms in adolescent peer relationships. Predictions remained after accounting for numerous potential confounds, including prior health problems, concurrent body mass index, anxious and depressive symptoms, personality characteristics, adolescent-era financial adversity, and adolescent-era physical attractiveness. These findings have important implications for understanding the unique intensity of peer relationships in adolescence. © The Author(s) 2015.

Predictors of maternal depression in the first year postpartum: marital status and mediating role of relationship quality.

PubMed

Akincigil, Ayse; Munch, Shari; Niemczyk, Kristen C

2010-01-01

Existing literature has documented the associations between marital status and maternal depression within the first year postpartum. Using data that is representative of urban non-marital births in the United States with a large over-sample of non-marital births, we investigate the association of maternal depression with not only marital status but also relationship quality with the father of the baby. Quality is independently associated with maternal depression after controlling for marital status and other variables that have been documented as risk factors for maternal depression. In addition, relationship quality explains away the associations between marital status and maternal depression. After controlling for relationship quality, single women were no more likely to be depressed compared to married or cohabiting women.

Mind wandering, sleep quality, affect and chronotype: an exploratory study.

PubMed

Carciofo, Richard; Du, Feng; Song, Nan; Zhang, Kan

2014-01-01

Poor sleep quality impairs cognition, including executive functions and concentration, but there has been little direct research on the relationships between sleep quality and mind wandering or daydreaming. Evening chronotype is associated with poor sleep quality, more mind wandering and more daydreaming; negative affect is also a mutual correlate. This exploratory study investigated how mind wandering and daydreaming are related to different aspects of sleep quality, and whether sleep quality influences the relationships between mind wandering/daydreaming and negative affect, and mind wandering/daydreaming and chronotype. Three surveys (Ns = 213; 190; 270) were completed with Chinese adults aged 18-50, including measures of sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, mind wandering, daydreaming, chronotype and affect (positive and negative). Higher frequencies of mind wandering and daydreaming were associated with poorer sleep quality, in particular with poor subjective sleep quality and increased sleep latency, night-time disturbance, daytime dysfunction and daytime sleepiness. Poor sleep quality was found to partially mediate the relationships between daydreaming and negative affect, and mind wandering and negative affect. Additionally, low positive affect and poor sleep quality, in conjunction, fully mediated the relationships between chronotype and mind wandering, and chronotype and daydreaming. The relationships between mind wandering/daydreaming and positive affect were also moderated by chronotype, being weaker in those with a morning preference. Finally, while daytime sleepiness was positively correlated with daydream frequency, it was negatively correlated with a measure of problem-solving daydreams, indicating that more refined distinctions between different forms of daydreaming or mind wandering are warranted. Overall, the evidence is suggestive of a bi-directional relationship between poor sleep quality and mind wandering/daydreaming, which may be important in attempts to deal with sleep problems and improve sleep quality. These findings and further research on this topic may also have implications for definitions and theories of mind wandering and daydreaming.

Mind Wandering, Sleep Quality, Affect and Chronotype: An Exploratory Study

PubMed Central

Carciofo, Richard; Du, Feng; Song, Nan; Zhang, Kan

2014-01-01

Poor sleep quality impairs cognition, including executive functions and concentration, but there has been little direct research on the relationships between sleep quality and mind wandering or daydreaming. Evening chronotype is associated with poor sleep quality, more mind wandering and more daydreaming; negative affect is also a mutual correlate. This exploratory study investigated how mind wandering and daydreaming are related to different aspects of sleep quality, and whether sleep quality influences the relationships between mind wandering/daydreaming and negative affect, and mind wandering/daydreaming and chronotype. Three surveys (Ns = 213; 190; 270) were completed with Chinese adults aged 18–50, including measures of sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, mind wandering, daydreaming, chronotype and affect (positive and negative). Higher frequencies of mind wandering and daydreaming were associated with poorer sleep quality, in particular with poor subjective sleep quality and increased sleep latency, night-time disturbance, daytime dysfunction and daytime sleepiness. Poor sleep quality was found to partially mediate the relationships between daydreaming and negative affect, and mind wandering and negative affect. Additionally, low positive affect and poor sleep quality, in conjunction, fully mediated the relationships between chronotype and mind wandering, and chronotype and daydreaming. The relationships between mind wandering/daydreaming and positive affect were also moderated by chronotype, being weaker in those with a morning preference. Finally, while daytime sleepiness was positively correlated with daydream frequency, it was negatively correlated with a measure of problem-solving daydreams, indicating that more refined distinctions between different forms of daydreaming or mind wandering are warranted. Overall, the evidence is suggestive of a bi-directional relationship between poor sleep quality and mind wandering/daydreaming, which may be important in attempts to deal with sleep problems and improve sleep quality. These findings and further research on this topic may also have implications for definitions and theories of mind wandering and daydreaming. PMID:24609107

Health, Quality of Care and Quality of Life: A Case of Frail Older Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsieh, Chang-Ming

2009-01-01

This study explores the relationship between health, quality of care of geriatric case management and quality of life for the purpose of furthering the understanding of the relationship between quality of life and geriatric case management. Using survey data from a group of frail older adults, this study assesses the relative merit of two…

Intimate Partner Victimization, Poor Relationship Quality, and Depressive Symptoms during Young Adulthood

PubMed Central

Longmore, Monica A.; Manning, Wendy D.; Giordano, Peggy C.; Copp, Jennifer E.

2014-01-01

Examining longitudinal data from the Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study (TARS) (n = 927), we assessed associations between physical victimization by an intimate partner, indicators of poor relationship quality, and depressive symptoms among young adult men and women in casually dating, exclusively dating, cohabiting, and marital relationships. In zero-order models, we found that physical victimization increased depressive symptoms. In multivariate models, victimization was a risk factor for depressive symptoms with the inclusion of prior depressive symptoms, family factors reflecting the intergenerational transmission of violence, sociodemographic background, and relationship characteristics including union status. Yet with the additional inclusion of indicators of poor relational quality, victimization was not a significant predictor of depressive symptoms. Arguing and poor communication influenced victimization and depressive symptoms. The associations between victimization and depressive symptoms did not differ by gender, nor were the effects of poor relationship quality on depressive symptoms conditional on gender. Thus, depressive symptoms are similarly responsive to intimate partner victimization, and for both women and men these associations were not significant with the inclusion of indicators of poor relationship quality. Findings underscored that victimization often occurs within relationship contexts characterized by a range of negative dynamics; thus multifaceted relationship-centered prevention and intervention efforts are likely to be more useful than those focusing only on negative messages about the use of aggression with an intimate partner. PMID:25131276

The link between leadership and safety outcomes in hospitals.

PubMed

Squires, Mae; Tourangeau, Ann; Spence Laschinger, Heather K; Doran, Diane

2010-11-01

To test and refine a model examining relationships among leadership, interactional justice, quality of the nursing work environment, safety climate and patient and nurse safety outcomes. The quality of nursing work environments may pose serious threats to patient and nurse safety. Justice is an important element in work environments that support safety initiatives yet little research has been done that looks at how leader interactional justice influences safety outcomes. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 600 acute care registered nurses (RNs) to test and refine a model linking interactional justice, the quality of nurse leader-nurse relationships, work environment and safety climate with patient and nurse outcomes. In general the hypothesized model was supported. Resonant leadership and interactional justice influenced the quality of the leader-nurse relationship which in turn affected the quality of the work environment and safety climate. This ultimately was associated with decreased reported medication errors, intentions to leave and emotional exhaustion. Quality relationships based on fairness and empathy play a pivotal role in creating positive safety climates and work environments. To advocate for safe work environments, managers must strive to develop high-quality relationships through just leadership practices. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Attachment Style Is Related to Quality of Life for Assistance Dog Owners.

PubMed

White, Naomi; Mills, Daniel; Hall, Sophie

2017-06-19

Attachment styles have been shown to affect quality of life. Growing interest in the value of companion animals highlights that owning a dog can also affect quality of life, yet little research has explored the role of the attachment bond in affecting the relationship between dog ownership and quality of life. Given that the impact of dog ownership on quality of life may be greater for assistance dog owners than pet dog owners, we explored how anxious attachment and avoidance attachment styles to an assistance dog affected owner quality of life ( n = 73). Regression analysis revealed that higher anxious attachment to the dog predicted enhanced quality of life. It is suggested that the unique, interdependent relationship between an individual and their assistance dog may mean that an anxious attachment style is not necessarily detrimental. Feelings that indicate attachment insecurity in other relationships may reflect more positive aspects of the assistance dog owner relationship, such as the level of support that the dog provides its owner.

Gender Difference in Relationship between Health-Related Quality of Life and Work Status.

PubMed

Noh, Jin-Won; Kim, Jinseok; Park, Jumin; Kim, Hyun-Jung; Kwon, Young Dae

2015-01-01

This study investigated the association of employment status with health-related quality of life in adult Koreans, as well as the gender difference in the relationship, using a large, nationally representative sample. Using data from the Korea Health Panel survey, we examined the relationship between quality of life measured by EQ-5D and work status among Korean adults. We also tested whether and how the relationship between quality of life and work status differed by gender. Quality of life among working adults was better than among non-working adults. The gap between the two groups was larger among male than female participants. Further, the gender differential effect was larger in the 41-60-year-old age group than in the 18-40-year-old and 61-or-older groups. Being employed has a positive relation to quality of life among adults. Work status plays a more important role in quality of life for men than for women, especially for the working elderly men than working elderly women.

Relationship between emotional distress and quality of life on type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in Meranti island regency hospital

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faridah, I. N.; Perwitasari, D. A.; Pusfita, M.; Jasman, H.

2017-11-01

Type 2 Diabetes mellitus (T2DM) always got treatment for a long time so that it can affect the emotional distress and the quality of life. This study aimed to find the relationship between emotional distress with quality of life. This study used cross sectional design. DDS was used to measure patients emotional distress. EQ-5D was used to measure patients quality of life. Subjects of this study were T2DM patients ICD X.E11 with aged over 18 years old. A total of 80 patients participated in the study. The result showed that the mean of score on emotional burden was 2.985±0.678, physician distress was 2.650±0.801, regiment distress was 3.222±0.75 and interpersonal distress was 2.529±0.859. The result of the analysis showed that there was relationship between employment and interpersonal distress with index and correlation showed weak negative (r-0.212, -0.306) and significant relationship (p<0.05). The relationship between education and VAS showed weak positive correlation (r0.334) and significant relationship (p<0.01). The relationship between employment and emotional burden with VAS showed weak negative correlation (r-0.215, -0.251) and significant relationship (p<0.01). Employment and education was factors that affected the quality of life. High emotional distress can degraded the quality of life.

Relationship Quality with Parents: Implications for Own and Partner Well-Being in Middle-Aged Couples.

PubMed

Polenick, Courtney A; Fredman, Steffany J; Birditt, Kira S; Zarit, Steven H

2018-03-01

Relationships with parents have significant implications for well-being throughout the lifespan. At midlife, these ties are situated within both developmental and family contexts that often involve the adult offspring's spouse. Yet, it is not known how ties with aging parents are related to psychological well-being within middle-aged couples. This study examined how middle-aged wives' and husbands' views of the current quality of relationships with their own parents (positive and negative) are linked to their own and their partner's psychological well-being. Using a sample of 132 middle-aged couples from Wave 1 of the Family Exchanges Study, we estimated actor-partner interdependence models to evaluate these dyadic associations while controlling for each spouse's marital satisfaction. Both actor and partner effects were observed. With respect to actor effects, wives who reported more negative relationship quality with their own parents had elevated depressive symptoms and lower life satisfaction. Husbands who reported more negative relationship quality with their own parents had lower life satisfaction. In terms of partner effects, husbands had lower depressive symptoms and greater life satisfaction when wives reported more positive relationship quality with their own parents. Finally, the link between wives' positive ties with parents and husbands' lower depressive symptoms was intensified when husbands had less positive relationships with their own parents. Findings suggest that relationship quality with wives' aging parents has implications for both spouses' well-being and may serve as a critical social resource for husbands. © 2016 Family Process Institute.

Depressive Symptoms and Romantic Relationship Qualities from Adolescence through Emerging Adulthood: A Longitudinal Examination of Influences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vujeva, Hana M.; Furman, Wyndol

2011-01-01

Research has consistently demonstrated the negative consequences of depression on adolescents' functioning in peer and family relationships, but little work has examined how depressive symptoms affect the quality of adolescents' and emerging adults' romantic relationships. Five waves of data on depressive symptoms, romantic relationship conflict,…

The Mediator Role of Need Satisfaction between Subjective Well-Being and Romantic Relationships Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eryilmaz, Ali; Dogan, Tayfun

2013-01-01

Problem Statement: The most important part of identity exploration for emerging adults is love. Establishing healthy intimate relationships support the process of identity exploration. In addition to the positive and negative factors that affect romantic relationships, the concept of quality is also very important in these romantic relationships.…

Quality of Parent-Child Relationship, Family Conflict, Peer Pressure, and Drinking Behaviors of Adolescents in an Asian Context: The Case of Singapore

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choo, Hyekyung; Shek, Daniel

2013-01-01

Analyzing data from a probability sample representative of secondary school students in Singapore (N = 1,599), this study examined the independent impact between the quality of mother-child relationship, the quality of father-child relationship and family conflict on the frequency of drinking and drunkenness, and whether each dyadic parent-child…

Software Quality Metrics Enhancements. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-04-01

the mathematical relationships which relate metrics to ratings of the various quality factors) for factors which were not validated previously were...function, provides a mathematical relationship between the metrics and the quality factors. (3) Validation of these normalization functions was performed by...samples, further research is needed before a high degree of confidence can be placed on the mathematical relationships established to date l (3.3.3) 6

Relationship between Individual Quality of Life and Family Quality of Life for People with Intellectual Disability Living in Italy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bertelli, M.; Bianco, A.; Rossi, M.; Scuticchio, D.; Brown, I.

2011-01-01

Background: There is substantial literature investigating quality of life (QoL) of individuals with intellectual disability (ID). QoL of families of people with ID is emerging as an important field of research. Despite this, there is a lack of studies regarding their relationship. Aim: The present paper aimed to study the relationship between QoL…

Free to love? The role of intrusive parenting for young adult children's romantic relationship quality.

PubMed

Parise, Miriam; Manzi, Claudia; Donato, Silvia; Iafrate, Raffaella

2017-01-01

Intrusive parenting is a form of boundary disturbance in the parent-child relationship which has been consistently associated with children's maladjustment. The present study examines the role of intrusive parenting for young adult children's romantic relationship quality. Relying on data from a two-wave longitudinal study among young couples in transition to marriage in Italy, we investigated the link between young adults' perceived intrusive parenting and change in their romantic relationship quality from 6 months before marriage to 18 months after marriage, as well as the mediating role of change in the capacity to include the partner in the self. Data were analyzed using actor-partner interdependence modeling. Perceived intrusive parenting negatively predicted change in inclusion of the other in the self and change in romantic relationship quality for both partners. For females, change in their capacity of inclusion of the other in the self fully mediated the association between their perceived intrusive parenting and change in their own and partner's relationship quality. Limitations and implications for practice are discussed.

Maternal relationship quality and peer social acceptance as mediators between child maltreatment and adolescent depressive symptoms: Gender differences.

PubMed

Alto, Michelle; Handley, Elizabeth; Rogosch, Fred; Cicchetti, Dante; Toth, Sheree

2018-02-01

Childhood maltreatment negatively impacts the development of maternal and peer relationships and may put adolescents at risk for depression. The present study examined gender differences in maternal relationship quality and peer social acceptance as mediators of the association between childhood maltreatment and adolescent depressive symptoms in 342 (151 female, 191 male) maltreated (n = 198) and nonmaltreated (n = 144) youth in the USA. An observer report Q-Scale measure of depressive symptoms was developed and received preliminary support. Social acceptance was a significant mediator for both genders. The significant association between maltreatment and maternal relationship quality was unique to females, and the association between maternal relationship quality and depressive symptoms was significantly stronger for females. Lower maternal relationship quality marginally significantly mediated the association between maltreatment and depressive symptoms for females only. Results have implications for the prevention and intervention of depression in adolescents with a history of childhood maltreatment. Copyright © 2017 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Long-term impact of parental divorce on intimate relationship quality in adulthood and the mediating role of psychosocial resources.

PubMed

Mustonen, Ulla; Huurre, Taina; Kiviruusu, Olli; Haukkala, Ari; Aro, Hillevi

2011-08-01

The purpose of this 16-year prospective follow-up study was to investigate the association between parental divorce in childhood and intimate relationship quality in adulthood. The mediating role of psychosocial resources (parent-child relationships at 16 years, self-esteem and social support at 32 years) in this association was also studied. All 16 year olds of one Finnish city completed questionnaires at school and were followed up by postal questionnaires at 32 years of age (n = 1,471). Results showed that women and men from divorced families were more often divorced or separated at the age of 32 years than those from nondivorced families. However, parental divorce was associated with poorer intimate relationship quality only among women. Women from divorced families also had poorer relationships with their father and mother in adolescence, and they had lower self-esteem and satisfaction with social support in adulthood than women from intact families. No such associations were found among men. The impact of parental divorce on intimate relationship quality among women was partially mediated by mother-daughter relationship, self-esteem, and satisfaction with social support. The mediating role of mother-daughter relationship was not direct, however, but was mediated via self-esteem and satisfaction with social support. Our findings indicate that parental divorce affects daughters more than sons. In the context of parental divorce, the mother-daughter relationship in adolescence is important for the development of later psychosocial resources and, via them, for intimate relationship quality.

Minority Stress and Same-Sex Relationship Satisfaction: The Role of Concealment Motivation.

PubMed

Pepping, Christopher A; Cronin, Timothy J; Halford, W Kim; Lyons, Anthony

2018-04-30

Most lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people want a stable, satisfying romantic relationship. Although many of the predictors of relationship outcomes are similar to those of heterosexual couples, same-sex couples face some additional challenges associated with minority stress that also impact upon relationship quality. Here, we investigate the association between minority stressors and relationship quality in a sample of 363 adults (M age = 30.37, SD = 10.78) currently in a same-sex romantic relationship. Internalized homophobia and difficulties accepting one's LGB identity were each negatively associated with relationship satisfaction via heightened concealment motivation. We also examined the protective role of identity affirmation on relationship quality, finding a direct positive relationship between the two variables. Minority stressors were negatively associated with couple relationship satisfaction via heightened concealment motivation. The finding that identity affirmation directly predicted increased couple satisfaction also highlights the important role of protective factors in same-sex couple relationships. © 2018 Family Process Institute.

Quality of relationship between veterans with traumatic brain injury and their family members.

PubMed

Winter, Laraine; Moriarty, Helene J

2017-01-01

The quality of the relationship between patients with many illnesses and their family members has been shown to affect the well-being of both. Yet, relationship quality has not been studied in traumatic brain injury (TBI), and giving and receiving aspects have not been distinguished. The present study of veterans with TBI examined associations between relationship quality and caregiver burden, satisfaction with caregiving, and veterans' competence in interpersonal functioning, rated by veterans and family members. In this cross-sectional study, 83 veterans and their family members were interviewed at home. Measures of quality of relationship, veterans' interpersonal competence and sociodemographics were collected for both, caregiver burden and satisfaction for family members only. As predicted, veteran-rated Q rel /Giving was associated with family-rated Q rel /Receiving, and veteran-rated Q rel /Receiving with family-rated Q rel /Giving. Lower caregiver burden and higher caregiving satisfaction were associated with higher Q rel /Receiving scores but not with Q rel /Giving scores. Veterans' interpersonal competence was associated with total Q rel as rated by either veterans or family members. Relationship quality should be included in family research in TBI, and giving and receiving aspects should be differentiated. Findings suggest that lower caregiver burden and greater satisfaction should be more achievable by increasing caregivers' sense of benefits received from the relationship.

Longitudinal effects of sibling relationship quality on adolescent problem behavior: a cross-ethnic comparison.

PubMed

Buist, Kirsten L; Paalman, Carmen H; Branje, Susan J T; Deković, Maja; Reitz, Ellen; Verhoeven, Marjolein; Meeus, Wim H J; Koot, Hans M; Hale, William W

2014-04-01

The aim of the present study was to examine whether adolescents of Moroccan and Dutch origin differ concerning sibling relationship quality and to examine whether the associations between quality of the sibling relationship and level and change in externalizing and internalizing problem behavior are comparable for Moroccan and Dutch adolescents. Five annual waves of questionnaire data on sibling support and conflict as well as externalizing problems, anxiety and depression were collected from 159 ethnic Moroccan adolescents (Mage = 13.3 years) and from 159 ethnic Dutch adolescents (Mage = 13.0 years). Our findings demonstrated significant mean level differences between the Moroccan and Dutch sample in sibling relationship quality, externalizing problems, and depression, with Moroccan adolescents reporting higher sibling relationship quality and less problem behavior. However, effects of sibling relationship quality on externalizing problems, anxiety, and depression were similar for the Moroccan and Dutch samples. Sibling support was not related to level of externalizing problems, nor to changes in externalizing problems, anxiety, and depression. Additionally, more sibling conflict was related to a higher starting level of and faster decreases in problem behaviors. Our results support the ethnic equivalence model, which holds that the influence of family relationships is similar for different ethnic groups. Moreover, sibling support and conflict affect both the level and the fluctuations in problem behavior over time in specific ethnic groups similarly. Implications for future studies and interventions are subsequently discussed.

Healthcare expenditures and patient satisfaction: cost and quality from the consumer's perspective in the US.

PubMed

Fu, Alex Z; Wang, Nan

2008-05-01

Both cost and quality of healthcare are major concerns in the United States. Using patient satisfaction as a quality indicator, we seek to identify the relationship between healthcare cost and quality from the perspective of the community-dwelling population in the United States. We examined a nationally representative sample of 13,980 adults (age >or= 18 years) in the 2003 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). Given the idiosyncrasies of the cost data distribution, a recently developed extended estimating equation (EEE) model was employed to identify the relationship between patient satisfaction and healthcare expenditure, after controlling for individual demographic covariates, co-morbidity profile, and functional and activity limitations. A series of sensitivity analyses were conducted, in addition, to verify the identified relationship. All statistics were adjusted using the proper sampling weight from the MEPS data. Average annual healthcare expenditures for 2003 ranged between $3923 and $6073 when grouped by patient satisfaction ratings with a mean value $4779 for all individuals who rated perceived satisfaction of their healthcare. We found that there is no statistically significant relationship between patient satisfaction and total healthcare expenditure (p = 0.60) and a non-monotonic relationship is not identified either. All sensitivity analyses results revealed a lack of relationship between patient satisfaction and healthcare expenditures. Patient satisfaction might not reflect the quality of healthcare from an objective clinical standpoint. The identified cost-satisfaction relationship may not be extrapolated to other quality indicators. Due to the cross-sectional study design, no causal relationship could be inferred between patient satisfaction and healthcare expenditure. Our study adds to the literature on health care cost and quality by suggesting that the improvement of patient satisfaction may not require additional health care spending.

Relationship between Quality of Life, Relationship Beliefs and Attribution Style in Infertile Couples.

PubMed

Navid, Behnaz; Mohammadi, Maryam; Maroufizadeh, Saman; Amini, Payam; Shirin, Zahra; Omani-Saman, Reza

2018-07-01

Many infertile couples experience psychological distress and suffer from impaired quality of life. Generally, when couples are dealing with uncontrolled events such as infertility, it is important to manage it well and to use the suitable coping style; so this can represent an example of attribution style. The purpose of this study is to investigate the quality of life, relationship beliefs and attribution style in infertile couples. This cross-sectional study consisted of 50 infertile couples, who were at least 18 years of age and could read and write in Persian. Participants provided demographic and general characteristics and completed the quality of life (SF-12), relationship belief inventory (RBI) and attribution style (ASQ) forms. Data was analyzed by the paired t test, Pearson correlation tests and multiple linear regression analysis, using SPSS version 22 statistical software. Overall, 50 infertile couples participated in our study. The males had a significantly higher score for quality of life compared to the females (P=0.019). In RBI subscales except "Disagreement is Destructive" all others significantly higher in wives than husbands. All subscales of RBI had a negative correlation with the quality of life. The quality of life had a significant correlation with positive internal (r=0.213, P=0.033). The adjusted regression model showed that the quality of life for males was higher than in females (β=-3.098, P=0.024). The current data indicate that in infertile couples, the husbands have a higher quality of life in comparison to their wives. Also, all subscales of relationship beliefs have a negative correlation with the quality of life, but in attribution style, just internal attribution style for positive events is associated with the quality of life. In general, there is a correlation between relationship beliefs and the quality of life in infertile couples. Copyright© by Royan Institute. All rights reserved.

The Cost and Quality of Full-Day Year-Round Early Care and Education in Massachusetts: Infant and Toddler Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Nancy L.; Creps, Cindy L.; Burstein, Nancy R.; Roberts, Joanne; Glantz, Frederic B.; Robeson, Wendy Wagner

2004-01-01

The Massachusetts Cost and Quality Study assessed the quality and costs of early care and education services in Massachusetts, the relationship between quality and costs, and the relationship between the family income of children served and the quality of care provided by early care and education programs. This report presents the findings from…

Measuring functional service quality using SERVQUAL in a high-dependence health service relationship.

PubMed

Clark, W Randy; Clark, Leigh Anne

2007-01-01

Although there is a growing concern about health care quality, little research has focused on how to measure quality in long-term care settings. In this article, we make the following observations: (1) most users of the SERVQUAL instrument reassess customers' expectations each time they measure quality perceptions; (2) long-term care relationships are likely to be ongoing, dependent relationships; (3) because of this dependence, customers in the long-term care setting are likely to reduce their expectations when faced with poor service quality; (4) by using this "settled" expectations level, service providers may make biased conclusions of quality improvements. We recommend various methods for overcoming or minimizing this "settling" effect and propose modifications to the SERVQUAL gap 5 measure to assess quality in a long-term care setting.

Perceptions of Childhood Relationships with Mother and Father: Daily Emotional and Stressor Experiences in Adulthood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mallers, Melanie H.; Charles, Susan T.; Neupert, Shevaun D.; Almeida, David M.

2010-01-01

Adults who report having had high-quality relationships with their parents during childhood have better overall mental health and are at decreased risk for mental disorders compared with those who report low parental relationship quality. Researchers have predominantly focused on the relationship with the mother, oftentimes excluding the unique…

Internalized Homophobia and Relationship Quality among Lesbians, Gay Men, and Bisexuals.

PubMed

Frost, David M; Meyer, Ilan H

2009-01-01

We examined the associations between internalized homophobia, outness, community connectedness, depressive symptoms, and relationship quality among a diverse community sample of 396 lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals. Structural equation models showed that internalized homophobia was associated with greater relationship problems both generally and among coupled participants independent of outness and community connectedness. Depressive symptoms mediated the association between internalized homophobia and relationship problems. This study improves current understandings of the association between internalized homophobia and relationship quality by distinguishing between the effects of the core construct of internalized homophobia and its correlates and outcomes. The findings are useful for counselors interested in interventions and treatment approaches to help LGB individuals cope with internalized homophobia and relationship problems.

Internalized Homophobia and Relationship Quality among Lesbians, Gay Men, and Bisexuals

PubMed Central

Frost, David M.; Meyer, Ilan H.

2008-01-01

We examined the associations between internalized homophobia, outness, community connectedness, depressive symptoms, and relationship quality among a diverse community sample of 396 lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals. Structural equation models showed that internalized homophobia was associated with greater relationship problems both generally and among coupled participants independent of outness and community connectedness. Depressive symptoms mediated the association between internalized homophobia and relationship problems. This study improves current understandings of the association between internalized homophobia and relationship quality by distinguishing between the effects of the core construct of internalized homophobia and its correlates and outcomes. The findings are useful for counselors interested in interventions and treatment approaches to help LGB individuals cope with internalized homophobia and relationship problems. PMID:20047016

Marital quality in the context of mild cognitive impairment.

PubMed

Garand, Linda; Dew, Mary Amanda; Urda, Bridget; Lingler, Jennifer Hagerty; Dekosky, Steven T; Reynolds, Charles F

2007-12-01

Profound behavioral changes in persons with dementia often negatively affect the quality of marital relationships. Yet, little is known about the extent to which the marital relationship may be affected when the care recipient has milder degrees of cognitive impairment. This study characterizes marital quality among 27 adults who live with a spouse with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). This study demonstrates that at mild levels of cognitive impairment, specific behaviors in the affected person are distressing and may degrade the quality of the marital relationship. These results have implications for clinical practice and the delivery of health care and social services to these families. It is important to develop interventions to address the needs of these individuals and their caregivers. Results of this study suggest the need for mental health interventions designed to preserve the quality of these marital relationships.

The neuropeptide oxytocin modulates consumer brand relationships

PubMed Central

Fürst, Andreas; Thron, Jesko; Scheele, Dirk; Marsh, Nina; Hurlemann, René

2015-01-01

Each year, companies invest billions of dollars into marketing activities to embellish brands as valuable relationship partners assuming that consumer brand relationships (CBRs) and interpersonal relationships rest upon the same neurobiological underpinnings. Given the crucial role of the neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) in social bonding, this study tests whether OXT-based mechanisms also determine the bond between consumers and brands. We conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled study involving 101 subjects and analyzed the effect of intranasal OXT on consumers’ attribution of relationship qualities to brands, brands paired with human celebrity endorsers, and familiar persons. OXT indeed promoted the attribution of relationship qualities not only in the case of social and semi-social stimuli, but also brands. Intriguingly, for subjects scoring high on autistic-like traits, the effect of OXT was completely reversed, evident in even lower relationship qualities across all stimulus categories. The importance of OXT in a CBR context is further corroborated by a three-fold increase in endogenous release of OXT following exposure to one’s favorite brand and positive associations between baseline peripheral OXT concentrations and brand relationship qualities. Collectively, our findings indicate that OXT not only plays a fundamental role in developing interpersonal relationships, but also enables relationship formation with objects such as brands. PMID:26449882

Partner relationships and long-term sick leave among female workers: consequences and impact on dimensions of health and return to work.

PubMed

Dellve, Lotta; Ahlborg, Tone

2012-12-01

Few efforts have been made to prospectively identify resources and obstacles outside work that may predict regained work ability and return to work when workers are on sick leave. This study investigates the association between partner relationships and sick leave. Our research questions were as follows: (i) What is the influence of sick leave, pain, stress and domestic strain on the quality of the dyadic partner relationship?, and (ii) What is the influence of the partner and social relationship on pain, stress, work ability, self-rated health and return to work? A cohort of female workers (n = 225) on long-term sick leave (>60 days), all in a partner relationship, at 6-month intervals completed a questionnaire based on the Quality of Dyadic Relationship (QDR) instrument, the Interview Schedule of Social Interaction (ISSI), the Work Ability Index (WAI) and the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ). Univariate and multivariate analyses of baseline and prospective data were performed. The results showed that decreased partner relationship quality was related to having major responsibility for household work despite being on sick leave, having pain and having decreased social integration. Among younger individuals on sick leave, a reduction in the quality of the partner relationship was shown already at the first (6-month) follow-up, while among middle-aged women, such a reduction was seen only at the 12-month follow-up. No dimensions of partner relationship quality at baseline were related to dimensions of return to work, either as a resource or as an obstacle. Consequently, our results show that a good relationship does not keep the woman from returning to work. Having main responsibility for household work, which implies domestic strain while on sick leave, predicts lower partner relationship quality. The practical implications are that healthcare professionals treating women on sick leave should emphasize the importance of keeping a social network as well as making sufficient adjustments at home for the relationship quality to be safeguarded. Special attention should be given to the young woman on sick leave as being on sick leave seems to influence her partner relationship considerably. © 2012 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences © 2012 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Does Poor Spelling Equate to Slow Reading? The Relationship between Reading, Spelling, and Orthographic Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin-Chang, Sandra; Ouellette, Gene; Madden, Melanie

2014-01-01

High quality lexical representations in memory, characterized by accuracy and stability, are said to underpin fluent reading. Here, the relationship between orthographic quality and reading speed was examined by asking undergraduates (N = 74) to repeatedly read and spell words. Spelling performance over five trials indicated orthographic quality.…

Individuation or Identification? Self-Objectification and the Mother-Adolescent Relationship

PubMed Central

Katz-Wise, Sabra L.; Budge, Stephanie L.; Lindberg, Sara M.; Hyde, Janet S.

2013-01-01

Do adolescents model their mothers’ self-objectification? We measured self-objectification (body surveillance and body shame), body mass index (BMI), body esteem, and quality of the mother-adolescent relationship in 179 female and 162 male adolescents at age 15, as well as self-objectification in their mothers. Initial analyses indicated no improvement in model fit if paths were allowed to differ for females and males; therefore a single model was tested for the combined sample. Findings revealed that mothers’ body surveillance negatively predicted adolescents’ body surveillance. Mothers’ body shame was unrelated to adolescents’ body shame, but positively predicted adolescents’ body surveillance. Results for the relationship between mothers’ and adolescents’ self-objectification suggest that adolescents engaged in more individuation than modeling. A more positive mother-adolescent relationship predicted lower body shame and higher body esteem in adolescents, suggesting that the quality of the relationship with the mother may be a protective factor for adolescents’ body image. Mother-adolescent relationship quality did not moderate the association between mothers’ and adolescents’ self-objectification. These findings contribute to our understanding about the sociocultural role of parents in adolescents’ body image and inform interventions addressing negative body image in this age group. The quality of the mother-adolescent relationship is a clear point of entry for such interventions. Therapists should work with adolescents and their mothers toward a more positive relationship quality, which could then positively impact adolescents’ body image. PMID:24363490

Social relationships and quality of life moderate distress associated with delusional ideation.

PubMed

Lim, Michelle H; Gleeson, John F; Jackson, Henry J; Fernandez, Katya C

2014-01-01

In a previous study, individuals who followed a particular new religious movement (NRM) reported significantly less distress even though they reported similar levels of delusional ideation when compared with individuals diagnosed with psychotic disorders. Protective factors such as social relationship quality and quality of life (QOL) were hypothesized to explain attenuated distress associated with delusional ideation. NRM individuals (n = 29), individuals diagnosed with psychotic disorders (n = 25), and control individuals (n = 63) were recruited. Psychotic symptoms, delusion-proneness, and facets of social relationships quality and QOL were examined across group. Potential moderators of the relationship between group membership and distress were further examined in multiple regression models. NRM participants reported more social relationships that were of higher quality (as demonstrated by more crisis supports, unique and overlap supports, more helpful supports and more reciprocated supports) than individuals with psychotic disorders. NRM participants also reported significantly higher QOL than individuals with psychotic disorders. Furthermore, NRM participants reported more distinct and less reciprocated supports, and significantly higher psychological, environmental, and total QOL, when compared with control participants. The relationship between group membership, delusional ideation, and distress was moderated by relationship reciprocity as well as by total QOL. Findings highlight the importance of establishing healthy reciprocal social relationships and improving QOL in people diagnosed with psychotic disorders, as these factors may act as a buffer against distress associated with delusional beliefs.

Sleep quality and its relationship with quality of life among high-risk pregnant women (gestational diabetes and hypertension).

PubMed

Saadati, Fatemeh; Sehhatiei Shafaei, Fahimeh; Mirghafourvand, Mozhgan

2018-01-01

Sleep is one of the most basic human requirements. This research aims at determining the status of sleep quality and its relationship with quality of life among high-risk pregnant women in Tabriz, Iran, in 2015. This research was a sectional study done on 364 qualified women in 28-36 weeks of pregnancy suffering from mild preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. The sampling was done as convenience. Personal-social-midwifery questionnaire, Pittsburg sleep quality, and quality of life in pregnancy (QOL-ORAV) were used for gathering data. Multivariate linear regression model was used for determining the relationship between sleep quality and its subsets with quality of life and controlling confounders. In the current study, the prevalence of sleep disturbance was 96.4%. Mean (SD) of the total score of sleep quality was 10.1 (4.1) and the total score of quality of life was 61.7 (17.3). According to Pearson's correlation test, there was statistically significant relationship between quality of life and sleep quality and all its subsets except sleep duration and use of sleep medication (p < 0.001). Meanwhile, according to the multivariate linear regression model, sleep latency, day time dysfunction, health status, and home air-conditioning were related with quality of life. The findings of current research show that sleep quality is low among high-risk pregnant women and quality of life is medium. So, it is necessary that required training is given by health cares for improving sleep quality and quality of life to mothers.

Own attractiveness and perceived relationship quality shape sensitivity in women's memory for other men on the attractiveness dimension.

PubMed

Watkins, Christopher D; Nicholls, Mike J; Batres, Carlota; Xiao, Dengke; Talamas, Sean; Perrett, David I

2017-06-01

Although recent work suggests that opposite-sex facial attractiveness is less salient in memory when individuals are in a committed romantic relationship, romantic relationship quality can vary over time. In light of this, we tested whether activating concerns about romantic relationship quality strengthens memory for attractive faces. Partnered women were exposed briefly to faces manipulated in shape cues to attractiveness before either being asked to think about a moment of emotional closeness or distance in their current relationship. We measured sensitivity in memory for faces as the extent to which they recognized correct versions of studied faces over versions of the same person altered to look either more or less-attractive than their original (i.e., studied) version. Contrary to predictions, high relationship quality strengthened hit rate for faces regardless of the sex or attractiveness of the face. In general, women's memories were more sensitive to attractiveness in women, but were biased toward attractiveness in male faces, both when responding to unfamiliar faces and versions of familiar faces that were more attractive than the original male identity from the learning phase. However, findings varied according to self-rated attractiveness and a psychometric measure of the quality of their current relationship. Attractive women were more sensitive to attractiveness in men, while their less-attractive peers had a stronger bias to remember women as more-attractive and men as less-attractive than their original image respectively. Women in better-quality romantic relationships had stronger positive biases toward, and false memories for, attractive men. Our findings suggest a sophisticated pattern of sensitivity and bias in women's memory for facial cues to quality that varies systematically according to factors that may alter the costs of female mating competition ('market demand') and relationship maintenance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

How improving practice relationships among clinicians and nonclinicians can improve quality in primary care.

PubMed

Lanham, Holly J; McDaniel, Reuben R; Crabtree, Benjamin F; Miller, William L; Stange, Kurt C; Tallia, Alfred F; Nutting, Paula

2009-09-01

Understanding the role of relationships health care organizations (HCOs) offers opportunities for shaping health care delivery. When quality is treated as a property arising from the relationships within HCOs, then different contributors of quality can be investigated and more effective strategies for improvement can be developed. Data were drawn from four large National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded studies, and an iterative analytic strategy and a grounded theory approach were used to understand the characteristics of relationships within primary care practices. This multimethod approach amassed rich and comparable data sets in all four studies, which were all aimed at primary care practice improvement. The broad range of data included direct observation of practices during work activities and of patient-clinician interactions, in-depth interviews with physicians and other key staff members, surveys, structured checklists of office environments, and chart reviews. Analyses focused on characteristics of relationships in practices that exhibited a range of success in achieving practice improvement. Complex adaptive systems theory informed these analyses. Trust, mindfulness, heedfulness, respectful interaction, diversity, social/task relatedness, and rich/lean communication were identified as important in practice improvement. A model of practice relationships was developed to describe how these characteristics work together and interact with reflection, sensemaking, and learning to influence practice-level quality outcomes. Although this model of practice relationships was developed from data collected in primary care practices, which differ from other HCOs in some important ways, the ideas that quality is emergent and that relationships influence quality of care are universally important for all HCOs and all medical specialties.

Pornography, Religion, and Parent-Child Relationship Quality.

PubMed

Perry, Samuel L; Snawder, Kara J

2017-08-01

Frequent pornography use is often negatively associated with marital quality. Recent research has argued that this negative association is particularly strong for those who are embedded in religious communities, likely due to the greater stigma and shame associated with viewing pornography. In order to test and extend this theory, the current study examined how religious service attendance moderates the link between parents' pornography consumption and four measures of parent-child relationship quality. Analyses of 2006 Portraits of American Life Study data (N = 2610) revealed that greater pornography viewing predicted negative outcomes on two out of four measures of parent-child relationship quality, while religious service attendance was associated with more positive parent-child relationship outcomes. Interaction effects, however, affirmed that the negative association between porn viewing frequency and three parent-child relationship outcomes was stronger for participants who attended religious services more often. Analyzing fathers (N = 771) and mothers (N = 904) separately revealed that the observed relationships held more consistently for fathers than mothers. Evidence for directionality was presented by incorporating re-interview data from 2012. While pornography use may be negatively associated with some aspects of parent-child relationship quality, this association was particularly strong for those embedded within religious communities, possibly owing to greater attendant guilt and shame.

Quality in Family Child Care Settings: The Relationship between Provider Educational Experiences and Global Quality Scores in a Statewide Quality Rating and Improvement System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hallam, Rena A.; Bargreen, Kaitlin N.; Ridgley, Robyn

2013-01-01

This study is a secondary analysis of a statewide sample of licensed family child care providers in the Tennessee Child Care Evaluation and Report Card Program ("N"?=?1,145) that describes the general quality of family child care programs in the state and examines the relationships between provider education and global quality. Study…

Predicting Relationship Stability Among Midlife African American Couples

PubMed Central

Cutrona, Carolyn E.; Russell, Daniel W.; Burzette, Rebecca G.; Wesner, Kristin A.; Bryant, Chalandra M.

2012-01-01

Objective This study examined predictors of relationship stability over 5 years among heterosexual cohabiting and married African American couples raising an elementary-school-age child. The vulnerability–stress–adaptation model of relationships (Karney & Bradbury, 1995) guided the investigation. Contextual variables were conceptualized as important determinants of education and income, which in turn influence family structure, stress, and relationship quality and stability. Religiosity was tested as a resource variable that enhances relationship stability. Method Couples (N = 207) were drawn from the Family and Community Health Study. Variables assessed at Wave 1 (education, income, religiosity, biological vs. stepfamily status, marital status, financial strain, and relationship quality) were used to predict relationship stability 5 years later. Results Higher levels of education were associated with higher income, lower financial strain, and family structures that research has shown to be more stable (marriage rather than cohabitation and biological-family rather than stepfamily status; Bumpass & Lu, 2000). These variables, in turn, influenced relationship quality and stability. Religiosity, an important resource in the lives of African Americans, promoted relationship stability through its association with marriage, biological-family status, and women’s relationship quality. Conclusions Enhancing the stability of African American couples’ relationships will require changes in societal conditions that limit opportunities for education and income and weaken relationship bonds. Programs to assist couples with blended families are needed, and incorporation of spirituality into culturally sensitive relationship interventions for African American couples may also prove beneficial. PMID:22004304

Internalized Homophobia and Relationship Quality among Lesbians, Gay Men, and Bisexuals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frost, David M.; Meyer, Ilan H.

2009-01-01

The authors examined the associations between internalized homophobia, outness, community connectedness, depressive symptoms, and relationship quality among a diverse community sample of 396 lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals. Structural equation models showed that internalized homophobia was associated with greater relationship problems…

A Longitudinal Assessment of the Effect of Resident-Centered Care on Quality in Veterans Health Administration Community Living Centers.

PubMed

Sullivan, Jennifer L; Shwartz, Michael; Stolzmann, Kelly; Afable, Melissa K; Burgess, James F

2018-06-01

To examine whether changes in resident-centered care (RCC) over time were associated with changes in quality. Data sources were the Minimum Dataset quality indicators (which consist of measures of both prevalence and incidence of adverse events) and the Artifacts of Culture Change Tool (which measures RCC; FYs 2009-2012) from 130 Veterans Health Administration community living centers. A retrospective longitudinal study. Data were from VA secondary data sources. The overall relationship between RCC and quality was not statistically significant (p = .22), although there was a weakly significant negative relationship (i.e., increased RCC was associated with poorer quality) in the seven quarters after implementation of an automated version of the Artifacts Tool (p = .08). In facility-specific analyses, there were 15 facilities with a weakly significant (p < .10) positive relationship between RCC and quality and 21 with a weakly significant negative relationship. Adjusted cost per patient day was over 50 percent higher in the 21 facilities with a negative relationship than in the 15 facilities with a positive relationship (p < .05). The Artifacts score is a formal performance metric in the VA, and thus, facilities were explicitly incentivized to increase RCC. Using qualitative methods to identify characteristics that distinguished those facilities able to increase both RCC and quality from those that suffered declines in quality as RCC was improved is an important follow-up to this study. © Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Meta-Accuracy and Relationship Quality: Weighing the Costs and Benefits of Knowing What People Really Think About You

PubMed Central

Carlson, Erika N.

2016-01-01

People use metaperceptions, or their beliefs about how other people perceive them, to initiate and maintain social bonds. Are accurate metaperceptions associated with higher quality relationships? In four studies, the current research answers this question but considers the possibility that the self might not experience the same relational benefits of accurate metaperceptions, or meta-accuracy, as the people who form judgments about the self. For example, people tend to like individuals who have accurate self-perceptions, yet individuals tend to enjoy their own relationships more with people they believe see them in desirable ways. To test whether meta-accuracy is linked to relationship quality and whether this link differs for the self and others, meta-accuracy for personality traits as well as metaperceiver- and judge-reported relationship quality were assessed among new acquaintances (N = 184), peers (N = 228), friends (N = 273), and romantic partners (N = 401). Results suggested that judges enjoyed relationships more with metaperceivers who knew the impression they made, regardless of whether judges’ impressions were desirable (i.e., positive or self-verifying). Initial meta-accuracy also predicted greater relationship quality over time, suggesting that accurate metaperceptions have positive effects on relationships. In contrast, rather than enjoying relationships more when they were accurate, metaperceivers enjoyed relationships more when they believed judges perceived them in positive or self-verifying ways. Thus, meta-accuracy seems to be a virtue in the eyes of judges, but metaperceivers do not seem to reap the same benefits of knowing what others really think. Implications for improving meta-accuracy are discussed. PMID:27337137

The Relationship between Costs and Quality in Veterans Health Administration Community Living Centers: An Analysis Using Longitudinal Data.

PubMed

Burgess, James F; Shwartz, Michael; Stolzmann, Kelly; Sullivan, Jennifer L

2018-05-18

To examine the relationship between cost and quality in Veterans Health Administration (VA) nursing homes (called Community Living Centers, CLCs) using longitudinal data. One hundred and thirty CLCs over 13 quarters (from FY2009 to FY2012) were studied. Costs, resident days, and resident severity (RUGs score) were obtained from the VA Managerial Cost Accounting System. Clinical quality measures were obtained from the Minimum Data Set, and resident-centered care (RCC) was measured using the Artifacts of Culture Change Tool. We used a generalized estimating equation model with facilities included as fixed effects to examine the relationship between total cost and quality after controlling for resident days and severity. The model included linear and squared terms for all independent variables and interactions with resident days. With the exception of RCC, all other variables had a statistically significant relationship with total costs. For most poorer performing smaller facilities (lower size quartile), improvements in quality were associated with higher costs. For most larger facilities, improvements in quality were associated with lower costs. The relationship between cost and quality depends on facility size and current level of performance. © Published 2018. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Maternal Depression and the Intergenerational Transmission of Relational Impairment

PubMed Central

Katz, Shaina J.; Hammen, Constance L.; Brennan, Patricia A.

2013-01-01

Previous research has demonstrated that the offspring of depressed mothers are at greater risk for negative psychopathological and psychosocial outcomes than children of non-depressed mothers. The current study specifically examines offspring’s romantic relationship quality during the transition to adulthood as a function of maternal depression and three putative mechanisms for this association: youth depression history, mother-child relationship discord, and maternal romantic relationship difficulties. The study further explores the role of these factors in the risk for depressive symptoms during the transition to adulthood. Hypotheses were examined longitudinally in a community sample of 182 Australian youth who were followed from birth to age 20 and were in committed romantic relationships at age 20 with romantic partners willing to provide data regarding romantic relationship satisfaction. Structural equation modeling analyses found support for a direct effect of maternal depression on youth romantic relationship quality with significant mediation by mother-child relationship discord, as well as an association between mother-child relationship discord and later depressive symptoms that is mediated by youth romantic relationship quality. Findings also lend support for an indirect effect from maternal depression to youth depressive symptoms via mother-child relationship discord and youth romantic relationship quality. This study provides further evidence for the negative psychosocial and psychopathological outcomes of children of depressed mothers and the intergenerational transmission of relational difficulties. PMID:23421836

Afloat in a Boat: Linking Land Use / Land Cover to the Spatial Evolution of Water Quality along a Blackwater Stream

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neville, J.; Vose, J. M.; Nichols, E. G.; Jass, T. L.; Emanuel, R. E.; McRae, J.

2016-12-01

Water quality and land use/land cover (LULC) are linked intimately in many watersheds, although exact relationships are often nonlinear and sometimes complex. Together with watershed topography, LULC can affect water quality in various ways. As such, attributing water quality characteristics to LULC variations (either in space or time) can be difficult. Many studies seek to understand these relationships from a Eulerian reference frame, which typically involves many samples or observations through time at a fixed location. Here we explore an alternative approach to understanding relationships between LULC and water quality that relies on a Lagrangian, or moving, reference frame, in which the effects of LULC and watershed topography on water quality can be observed through a different lens. We studied three reaches of the Lumber River, a blackwater stream in North Carolina's Coastal Plain, to assess relationships between LULC and water quality in a watershed that is a patchwork of agriculture, forests, wetlands and developed land. Our study combines spatially intensive water quality measurements (temperature, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, pH and nitrate concentration), collected by boat, with geospatial analyses of LULC to understand influences on the spatial evolution of reach-scale water quality. In particular, we investigate relationships between spatial patterns in nitrate and the changing spatial characteristics of the watershed integrated at sampling points along each reach. We also assess relationships between nitrate and other water quality variables, such as pH, temperature, and dissolved oxygen to better understand the potential role of in-stream nutrient processing in observed spatial patterns. This work has implications for the regulation and management of agriculture, wetlands, and forests in a region that has long struggled to balance agriculture, a major economic driver, with water quality, a major concern for recreation and cultural practices locally and for nutrient sensitive coastal environments downstream.

Leadership, staffing and quality of care in nursing homes

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Leadership and staffing are recognised as important factors for quality of care. This study examines the effects of ward leaders' task- and relationship-oriented leadership styles, staffing levels, ratio of registered nurses and ratio of unlicensed staff on three independent measures of quality of care. Methods A cross-sectional survey of forty nursing home wards throughout Norway was used to collect the data. Five sources of data were utilised: self-report questionnaires to 444 employees, interviews with and questionnaires to 13 nursing home directors and 40 ward managers, telephone interviews with 378 relatives and 900 hours of field observations. Separate multi-level analyses were conducted for quality of care assessed by relatives, staff and field observations respectively. Results Task-oriented leadership style had a significant positive relationship with two of the three quality of care indexes. In contrast, relationship-oriented leadership style was not significantly related to any of the indexes. The lack of significant effect for relationship-oriented leadership style was due to a strong correlation between the two leadership styles (r = 0.78). Staffing levels and ratio of registered nurses were not significantly related to any of the quality of care indexes. The ratio of unlicensed staff, however, showed a significant negative relationship to quality as assessed by relatives and field observations, but not to quality as assessed by staff. Conclusions Leaders in nursing homes should focus on active leadership and particularly task-oriented behaviour like structure, coordination, clarifying of staff roles and monitoring of operations to increase quality of care. Furthermore, nursing homes should minimize use of unlicensed staff and address factors related to high ratios of unlicensed staff, like low staff stability. The study indicates, however, that the relationship between staffing levels, ratio of registered nurses and quality of care is complex. Increasing staffing levels or the ratio of registered nurses alone is not likely sufficient for increasing quality of care. PMID:22123029

The Relationship Between Professional Quality of Life and Caring Ability in Critical Care Nurses.

PubMed

Mohammadi, Marzieh; Peyrovi, Hamid; Mahmoodi, Mahmood

Critical care nursing has some features that may affect the ability of critical care nurses to provide care. Professionals as critical care nurses who deal with peoples' health and life often experience some levels of stress that affects their quality of life. This study examined the relationship between professional quality of life and caring ability of critical care nurses. In this descriptive correlational study, 253 critical care nurses working in the medical and surgical intensive care units of Tehran University of Medical Sciences were recruited by convenience sampling method. The data collection tools included demographic data form, Caring Ability Inventory, and questionnaire for professional quality of life version 5. There was a statistically significant positive relationship between the professional quality of life and the caring ability (P < .0001). A significant inverse relationship was found between burn-out subscale of compassion fatigue as one aspect of professional life quality with all 3 aspects of caring ability (knowledge, courage, and patience). Secondary traumatic stress, as another subscale of compassion fatigue (as one aspect of professional quality of life), had no statistically significant correlation with caring ability aspects of knowledge and patience. However, there was a significant inverse correlation between the secondary traumatic stress and courage aspect of caring ability (P < .0001). There was a statistically significant positive relationship between compassion satisfaction aspect of professional life quality with knowledge and patience aspects of caring ability, but there was not any relationship between the compassion satisfaction aspect of professional life quality and the courage aspect of caring ability. Improvement of critical care nurses' professional quality of life may increase their caring ability, thereby leading to better and more effective nursing care. Increased awareness by critical care nurse managers of the compassion fatigue phenomenon (secondary traumatic stress and burnout) and its effect on quality of critical care would be helpful in planning more specific strategies and preventing the onset and progression of these symptoms.

Testing the effects of social anxiety disorder on friendship quality across gender and ethnicity.

PubMed

Rodebaugh, Thomas L; Fernandez, Katya C; Levinson, Cheri A

2012-01-01

Previous research suggests that social anxiety disorder (SAD) has a specific relationship with impairment in friendship quality; however, potential moderators of this relationship have not been tested. The current study examines whether the specific effect of SAD on friendship quality is stable or varies across gender and ethnicity in a large epidemiological dataset. Results indicate that the underlying construct of friendship quality differed slightly but significantly between men and women; as a result, effects of SAD were tested in men and women separately. After partially constraining friendship quality across ethnic groups, our results indicated that the relationship between SAD and friendship quality remained robust in all groups. In addition to replicating the finding that SAD specifically relates to perceived friendship quality, the current study highlights the need to test whether underlying constructs such as friendship quality are consistent across the groups that make up heterogeneous samples.

Pregnant and parenting adolescents and their younger sisters: the influence of relationship qualities for younger sister outcomes.

PubMed

East, P L; Shi, C R

1997-04-01

On the basis of social modeling theory and a sibling interaction hypothesis, it was hypothesized that specific relationship qualities between a pregnant or parenting teen and her younger sister would be associated with permissive younger sister outcomes, such as permissive childbearing attitudes and permissive sexual behavior. Results indicated that negative relationship qualities, such as rivalry, competition, and conflict, were more closely related to younger sisters engaging in problem delinquent-like behavior and sexual behavior than were positive relationship qualities, such as warmth and closeness. Additionally, a shared friendship network with the older sister was found to be associated with extensive younger sister problem behavior and sexual behavior. Three potential explanatory processes are discussed.

Quality of Graduate Department Origin of Faculty and Its Relationship to Undergraduate Course Examination Questions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Braxton, John M.; Nordvall, Robert C.

1988-01-01

Quality of a faculty member's graduate department origin and its relationship to test construction was examined. Findings indicated a tendency for faculty holding advanced degrees from higher quality graduate departments to ask more synthesis questions. (Author/MLW)

Teacher-Student Relationship Quality Type in Elementary Grades: Effects on Trajectories for Achievement and Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Jiun-Yu; Hughes, Jan N.; Kwok, Oi-Man

2010-01-01

Teacher, peer, and student reports of the quality of the teacher-student relationship were obtained for an ethnically diverse and academically at-risk sample of 706 second- and third-grade students. Cluster analysis identified four types of relationships based on the consistency of child reports of support and conflict in the relationship with…

The relationship between motor function, cognition, independence and quality of life in myelomeningocele patients.

PubMed

Luz, Carolina Lundberg; Moura, Maria Clara Drummond Soares de; Becker, Karine Kyomi; Teixeira, Rosani Aparecida Antunes; Voos, Mariana Callil; Hasue, Renata Hydee

2017-08-01

Motor function, cognition, functional independence and quality of life have been described in myelomeningocele patients, but no study has investigated their relationships. We aimed to investigate the relationships between motor function, cognition, functional independence, quality of life, age, and lesion level in myelomeningocele patients, and investigate the influence of hydrocephalus on these variables. We assessed 47 patients with the Gross Motor Function Measure (motor function), Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices (cognition), Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (functional independence) and the Autoquestionnaire Qualité de vie Enfant Imagé (quality of life). Spearman's correlation tests determined relationships between the variables. The Friedman ANOVAs determined the influence of hydrocephalus. Motor function was strongly related to mobility and lesion level, and moderately related to cognition, self-care and social function. Cognition and quality of life were moderately related to functional independence. Age correlated moderately with functional independence and quality of life. Hydrocephalus resulted in poorer motor/cognitive outcomes and lower functional independence.

Identity and perceived peer relationship quality in emerging adulthood: the mediating role of attachment-related emotions.

PubMed

Doumen, Sarah; Smits, Ilse; Luyckx, Koen; Duriez, Bart; Vanhalst, Janne; Verschueren, Karine; Goossens, Luc

2012-12-01

Identity formation and the perceived quality of one's peer relationships are theorized to be intimately linked in emerging adulthood. The present study examined the associations between identity styles (i.e., information-oriented, normative, and diffuse-avoidant styles) and the quality of relationships with peers (as indexed by friendship quality and loneliness) in a sample of 343 college students from Belgium. High scores for the information-oriented style were positively related to friendship quality, whereas high scores for the diffuse-avoidant identity style were positively related to loneliness. These direct associations were mediated, at least in part, by attachment-related emotions (i.e., avoidance and anxiety). These associations, both direct and indirect, provide the first evidence linking identity styles and the quality of peer relationships. Suggestions for future research are provided, both at the methodological and the conceptual level. Copyright © 2012 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of communication style and physician-family relationships on satisfaction with pediatric chronic disease care.

PubMed

Swedlund, Matthew P; Schumacher, Jayna B; Young, Henry N; Cox, Elizabeth D

2012-01-01

Over 8% of children have a chronic disease and many are unable to adhere to treatment. Satisfaction with chronic disease care can impact adherence. We examine how visit satisfaction is associated with physician communication style and ongoing physician-family relationships. We collected surveys and visit videos for 75 children ages 9-16 years visiting for asthma, diabetes, or sickle cell disease management. Raters assessed physician communication style (friendliness, interest, responsiveness, and dominance) from visit videos. Quality of the ongoing relationship was measured with four survey items (parent-physician relationship, child-physician relationship, comfort asking questions, and trust in the physician), while a single item assessed satisfaction. Correlations and chi square were used to assess association of satisfaction with communication style or quality of the ongoing relationship. Satisfaction was positively associated with physician to parent (p < 0.05) friendliness. Satisfaction was also associated with the quality of the ongoing parent-physician (p < 0.001) and child-physician relationships (p < 0.05), comfort asking questions (p < 0.001), and trust (p < 0.01). This shows that both the communication style and the quality of the ongoing relationship contribute to pediatric chronic disease visit satisfaction.

Subjective Caregiver Burden and Caregiver Satisfaction: The Role of Partner Relationship Quality and Reciprocity.

PubMed

Tough, Hannah; Brinkhof, Martin W; Siegrist, Johannes; Fekete, Christine

2017-10-01

To explore the effect of relationship quality and reciprocity in partnerships on subjective caregiver burden and caregiver satisfaction in partners of persons with a severe physical disability (spinal cord injury). Cross-sectional, observational. Community setting. Caregiving partners of persons with spinal cord injury (N=118). Not applicable. Subjective caregiver burden measured by the Zarit Burden Interview (short form) and caregiver satisfaction measured by a single item on feelings of satisfaction resulting from the caregiver role. Caregiving partners who rated their relationship quality as high encountered less subjective caregiver burden (β=-1.10; 95% confidence interval [CI], -1.47 to -0.72; P<.001) and more caregiver satisfaction (odds ratio [OR], 1.18; 95% CI, 1.01-1.45; P=.049). These associations persisted even after controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, lesion severity of the care receiver, and objective caregiver burden. Partners who indicated high reciprocity in their relationship to the care receiver indicated less subjective caregiver burden and more caregiver satisfaction when relationship quality was excluded from the final models; however, the effect of reciprocity on subjective burden (β=-.38; 95% CI, -3.71 to 2.95; P=.82) and caregiver satisfaction (OR, 1.21; 95% CI, 0.28-5.22; P=.80) disappeared when including relationship quality. Results highlight the importance of relationship quality as a target for couple interventions aimed at reducing subjective caregiver burden and increasing satisfaction in the caregiving role. Copyright © 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Parent beliefs and children's social-behavioral functioning: the mediating role of parent-teacher relationships.

PubMed

Kim, Elizabeth Moorman; Sheridan, Susan M; Kwon, Kyongboon; Koziol, Natalie

2013-04-01

This research investigated whether parent-teacher relationship quality mediated the relation between parents' motivational beliefs and children's adaptive functioning and externalizing behaviors. The sample consisted of kindergarten through third-grade children with behavioral concerns (N=206). Parents reported on their motivational beliefs (i.e., role construction and efficacy), and teachers reported on the quality of their relationships with parents and children's adaptive functioning (i.e., social and adaptive skills) and externalizing behaviors. Results indicated that parents' motivational beliefs were related significantly and positively to children's adaptive functioning and negatively to children's externalizing behaviors. Parents' motivational beliefs were also significantly associated with enhanced parent-teacher relationship quality. There was a significant medium-sized indirect effect of parents' motivational beliefs on children's adaptive functioning through parent-teacher relationship quality (k(2)=.12) and a small indirect effect of parents' motivational beliefs on children's externalizing behaviors (k(2)=.05). This research suggests that parent-teacher relationship quality may be one mechanism by which the benefits of parents' motivational beliefs are transmitted to children. Copyright © 2013 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The mediating effects of depressive symptoms and sleep quality on the relationship between the non-medical use of prescription drugs and suicidal behaviors among Chinese adolescents.

PubMed

Wang, Juan; Xu, Yan; Guo, Lan; Deng, Jian-Xiong; Huang, Jing-Hui; Huang, Guo-Liang; Gao, Xue; Wu, Hong; Pan, Si-Yuan; Lu, Ci-Yong

2017-09-01

The nature of the relationship between the non-medical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD) and suicide has not been clearly elucidated. Some studies have suggested that the relationship between substance use and suicidal ideation may be spurious and could be explained by other variables. A school-based cross-sectional study was performed in Guangzhou. A total of 5853 students completed questionnaires and were included in the study. NMUPD, alcohol use, illicit drug use, depressive symptoms, sleep quality, and suicidal behaviors were assessed. The mediating effects of depressive symptoms and sleep quality on the relationship between NMUPD and suicidal behaviors were examined using a structural equation model. In the simple model without mediation, a positive relationship between NMUPD and suicidal behaviors in adolescents was found, which was independent of effects from the use of other substances. Both depressive symptoms and sleep quality were significant mediators of this relationship. Public health and educational professionals should survey depressive symptoms and sleep quality and provide interventions when managing suicidal behaviors among adolescents engaging in NMUPD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Does self-efficacy mediate the relationship between transformational leadership behaviours and healthcare workers' sleep quality? A longitudinal study.

PubMed

Munir, Fehmidah; Nielsen, Karina

2009-09-01

This paper is a report of a study conducted to investigate the longitudinal relationship between transformational leadership behaviours and employees' sleep quality, and the mediating effects of self-efficacy. Although there is evidence for the influential role of transformational leadership on health outcomes, researchers have used either attitude outcomes (e.g. job satisfaction) or softer health measures, such as general well-being. Specific measures of well-being such as sleep quality have not been used, despite its association with working conditions. A longitudinal design was used to collect data from Danish healthcare workers at time 1 in 2005 (n = 447) and 18 months later at time 2 in 2007 (n = 274). Structural equation modelling was used to investigate the relationships between transformational leadership, self-efficacy and sleep quality at both time points independently (cross-sectionally) and longitudinally. For all constructs, time 2 measures were influenced by the baseline level. Direct relationships between transformational leadership and sleep quality were found. This relationship was negative cross-sectionally at both time points, but positive between baseline and follow-up. The relationship between leadership and employees' sleep quality was not mediated by employees' self-efficacy. Our results indicate that training managers in transformational leadership behaviours may have a positive impact on healthcare workers' health over time. However, more research is needed to examine the mechanisms by which transformational leadership brings about improved sleep quality; self-efficacy was not found to be the explanation.

Analysis of the relationships among perceived service encounter quality, service value, satisfaction and behavioral intention for physical therapy patients

PubMed Central

Ko, Min-Seok; Lee, Won-Hwee

2017-01-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among perceived service encounter quality, service value, patient satisfaction, and behavioral intention in physical therapy patients. [Subjects and Methods] This study surveyed 335 patients who received physical therapy treatment at five medical institutions in Jeonju-si, Republic of Korea. This study conducted path analysis on the collected data using Smart PLS 2.0 M3. [Results] The analysis of this study showed that service encounter quality had significantly positive relationship with service value, patient satisfaction, and behavioral intention. Service value had significantly positive relationship with patient satisfaction and behavioral intention. Patient satisfaction had significantly positive relationship with behavioral intention. [Conclusion] Improving the perceived quality of service encounters for physical therapy patients increases service value and patient satisfaction, and positively influences behavioral intention. PMID:29200644

Qualities of Peer Relations on Social Networking Websites: Predictions from Negative Mother-Teen Interactions

PubMed Central

Szwedo, David E.; Mikami, Amori Yee; Allen, Joseph P.

2010-01-01

This study examined associations between characteristics of teenagers’ relationships with their mothers and their later socializing behavior and peer relationship quality online. At age 13, teenagers and their mothers participated in an interaction in which mothers’ and adolescents’ behavior undermining autonomy and relatedness was observed, and indicators of teens’ depressive symptoms and social anxiety were assessed. At age 20, youth self-reported on their online behaviors, youths’ social networking webpages were observationally coded to assess peer relationship quality online, and symptoms of depression and social anxiety were reassessed. Results suggested that problematic mother-teen relationships were predictive of youths’ later preference for online communication and greater likelihood of forming a friendship with someone met online, yet poorer quality in online relationships. Findings are discussed within a developmental framework suggesting the importance of considering youths’ family interactions during early adolescence as predictors of future online socializing behavior and online interactions with peers. PMID:21860584

Qualities of Peer Relations on Social Networking Websites: Predictions from Negative Mother-Teen Interactions.

PubMed

Szwedo, David E; Mikami, Amori Yee; Allen, Joseph P

2011-09-01

This study examined associations between characteristics of teenagers' relationships with their mothers and their later socializing behavior and peer relationship quality online. At age 13, teenagers and their mothers participated in an interaction in which mothers' and adolescents' behavior undermining autonomy and relatedness was observed, and indicators of teens' depressive symptoms and social anxiety were assessed. At age 20, youth self-reported on their online behaviors, youths' social networking webpages were observationally coded to assess peer relationship quality online, and symptoms of depression and social anxiety were reassessed. Results suggested that problematic mother-teen relationships were predictive of youths' later preference for online communication and greater likelihood of forming a friendship with someone met online, yet poorer quality in online relationships. Findings are discussed within a developmental framework suggesting the importance of considering youths' family interactions during early adolescence as predictors of future online socializing behavior and online interactions with peers.

Analysis of the relationships among perceived service encounter quality, service value, satisfaction and behavioral intention for physical therapy patients.

PubMed

Ko, Min-Seok; Lee, Won-Hwee

2017-11-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among perceived service encounter quality, service value, patient satisfaction, and behavioral intention in physical therapy patients. [Subjects and Methods] This study surveyed 335 patients who received physical therapy treatment at five medical institutions in Jeonju-si, Republic of Korea. This study conducted path analysis on the collected data using Smart PLS 2.0 M3. [Results] The analysis of this study showed that service encounter quality had significantly positive relationship with service value, patient satisfaction, and behavioral intention. Service value had significantly positive relationship with patient satisfaction and behavioral intention. Patient satisfaction had significantly positive relationship with behavioral intention. [Conclusion] Improving the perceived quality of service encounters for physical therapy patients increases service value and patient satisfaction, and positively influences behavioral intention.

The importance of the organization of partner knowledge in understanding perceptions of relationship quality and conflict resolution behavior in married couples.

PubMed

Campbell, Lorne; Butzer, Bethany; Wong, Joanne

2008-06-01

This research investigated how the organization of partner knowledge was related to global relationship evaluations and specific interpersonal behaviors in a sample of 107 married couples. Spouses first completed several questionnaires and later participated in a 12-min videotaped conflict resolution task. As expected, wives in older relationships exhibited greater marital quality (self-reported and observed) when they had (a) an integrative knowledge structure and used many negative traits to describe their spouse or (b) a compartmentalized knowledge structure and used few negative traits to describe their spouse. Greater marital quality, however, was found for husbands when they were (a) in older relationships and possessed an integrative structure or (b) in newer relationships and possessed a compartmentalized structure. Exploratory analyses suggested that in some circumstances people may have greater marital quality when they share an organizational style with their spouse.

Beliefs about emotions mediate the relationship between emotional suppression and quality of life in irritable bowel syndrome.

PubMed

Bowers, Hannah; Wroe, Abigail

2016-01-01

Cross-sectional and experimental research has demonstrated an association between emotional suppression and IBS. However, the relationship is not well understood. To examine the relationships between emotional suppression, we compare the measures of beliefs about emotions and quality of life in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) with healthy controls. Online questionnaires measured beliefs about emotions, emotional suppression and IBS-related quality of life in participants with (n = 87) and without (n = 37) IBS. Mediation analyses and group comparisons were used to explore the role of emotional suppression and beliefs about emotions in this sample. IBS participants held significantly more beliefs about the unacceptability of emotions compared to healthy controls despite no differences in emotional suppression. The relationship between beliefs about emotions and quality of life was not mediated by emotional suppression. However, the relationship between emotional suppression and quality of life was mediated by beliefs about emotions. The findings suggest a role of beliefs about emotions and emotional suppression in IBS, where emotional suppression may relate to changes in beliefs about emotions and consequently quality of life. This is discussed in relation to the cognitive-behavioural model of medically unexplained symptoms.

Responsive parenting is associated with improved type 1 diabetes-related quality of life

PubMed Central

Botello-Harbaum, Maria; Nansel, Tonja; Haynie, Denise; Iannotti, Ronald J.; Simons-Morton, Bruce

2008-01-01

Background Improved quality of life is an important treatment goal for children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. While previous research supports a relationship between family environment and quality of life, little research has addressed the relationship of parenting style constructs to quality of life in children with chronic disease. The present investigation assesses the relationship of parent responsiveness and demandingness with diabetes-related quality of life among children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Methods Baseline and 12-month follow-up self-report assessments were collected on a sample of 81 children with type 1 diabetes participating in an efficacy trial of a behavioral intervention to enhance adherence. The sample had a mean age of 13.3 years (SD = 1.7) and duration of diabetes of 7.7 years (SD = 3.7). Multiple regression analyses were conducted to determine the relationship of parent responsiveness and demandingness to diabetes-related quality of life at each time point. Results After adjusting for demographic and diabetes characteristics, as well as diabetes-specific parent-child behaviors, parent responsiveness was significantly associated with baseline diabetes-related quality of life (B=.23; p=.04). This relationship was sustained at 12-month follow-up (B=.22; p=.04) after adjusting for baseline quality of life and treatment group assignment, suggesting that parent responsiveness is associated with improved quality of life. Conclusions Findings indicate the importance of a supportive and emotionally warm parenting style in promoting improved quality of life for children with type 1 diabetes. Appropriate parenting skills should be an element of diabetes family management health care. PMID:18796059

Machiavellianism, Relationship Satisfaction, and Romantic Relationship Quality

PubMed Central

Brewer, Gayle; Abell, Loren

2017-01-01

Machiavellianism is characterised by a manipulative interpersonal style, willingness to exploit others, and a preference for emotionally detached relationships. The present studies investigate the extent to which Machiavellianism influences relationship satisfaction and romantic relationship quality. In Study 1, 194 heterosexual partnered women completed Machiavellianism and Relationship Satisfaction measures. Women with higher levels of Machiavellianism reported lower levels of relationship satisfaction. In Study 2, 132 heterosexual partnered women completed Machiavellianism, Trust, Commitment, Control, and Emotional Abuse scales. Women with higher levels of Machiavellianism perceived their partners to be less dependable, reported less faith in their partners, and were less willing to persist with the relationship than those with low levels of Machiavellianism. With regards to negative behavior, Machiavellianism predicted each form of control and emotional abuse investigated, such that those with high levels of Machiavellianism were more likely to engage in controlling behavior and emotional abuse. Findings have important implications for the prediction of romantic relationship quality and in particular for negative behavior such as control and abuse. PMID:28904597

Machiavellianism, Relationship Satisfaction, and Romantic Relationship Quality.

PubMed

Brewer, Gayle; Abell, Loren

2017-08-01

Machiavellianism is characterised by a manipulative interpersonal style, willingness to exploit others, and a preference for emotionally detached relationships. The present studies investigate the extent to which Machiavellianism influences relationship satisfaction and romantic relationship quality. In Study 1, 194 heterosexual partnered women completed Machiavellianism and Relationship Satisfaction measures. Women with higher levels of Machiavellianism reported lower levels of relationship satisfaction. In Study 2, 132 heterosexual partnered women completed Machiavellianism, Trust, Commitment, Control, and Emotional Abuse scales. Women with higher levels of Machiavellianism perceived their partners to be less dependable, reported less faith in their partners, and were less willing to persist with the relationship than those with low levels of Machiavellianism. With regards to negative behavior, Machiavellianism predicted each form of control and emotional abuse investigated, such that those with high levels of Machiavellianism were more likely to engage in controlling behavior and emotional abuse. Findings have important implications for the prediction of romantic relationship quality and in particular for negative behavior such as control and abuse.

Qualities of a psychiatric mentor: a quantitative Singaporean survey.

PubMed

Tor, Phern-Chern; Goh, Lee-Gan; Ang, Yong-Guan; Lim, Leslie; Winslow, Rasaiah-Munidasa; Ng, Beng-Yeong; Wong, Sze-Tai; Ng, Tse-Pin; Kia, Ee-Heok

2011-11-01

Psychiatric mentors are an important part of the new, seamless training program in Singapore. There is a need to assess the qualities of a good psychiatric mentor vis-à-vis those of a good psychiatrist. An anonymous survey was sent out to all psychiatry trainees and psychiatrists in Singapore to assess quantitatively the relative importance of 40 qualities for a good psychiatrist and a good mentor. The response rate was 48.7% (74/152). Factor analysis showed four themes among the qualities assessed (professional, personal values, relationship, academic-executive). A good mentor is defined by professional, relationship, and personal-values qualities. Mentors have significantly higher scores than psychiatrists for two themes (relationship and academic-executive). Being a good mentor, in Asia, means being a good psychiatrist first and foremost but also requires additional relationship and academic-executive skills. Mentors should be formally trained in these additional skills that were not part of the psychiatric curriculum.

Electronic medical record features and seven quality of care measures in physician offices.

PubMed

Hsiao, Chun-Ju; Marsteller, Jill A; Simon, Alan E

2014-01-01

The effect of electronic medical records (EMRs) on quality of care in physicians' offices is uncertain. This study used the 2008-2009 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey to examine the relationship between EMRs features and quality in physician offices. The relationship between selected EMRs features and 7 quality measures was evaluated by testing 25 associations in multivariate models. Significant relationships include reminders for guideline-based interventions or screening tests associated with lower odds of inappropriate urinalysis and prescription of antibiotics for upper respiratory infection (URI), prescription order entry associated with lower odds of prescription of antibiotics for URI, and patient problem list associated with higher odds of inappropriate prescribing for elderly patients. EMRs system level was associated with lower odds of blood pressure check, inappropriate urinalysis, and prescription of antibiotics for URI compared with no EMRs. The results show both positive and inverse relationships between EMRs features and quality of care.

Pornography use: who uses it and how it is associated with couple outcomes.

PubMed

Poulsen, Franklin O; Busby, Dean M; Galovan, Adam M

2013-01-01

Very little is known about how pornography use is related to the quality of committed relationships. This study examined associations among pornography use, the meaning people attach to its use, sexual quality, and relationship satisfaction. It also looked at factors that discriminate between those who use pornography and those who do not. Participants were couples (N = 617 couples) who were either married or cohabiting at the time the data were gathered. Overall results from this study indicated substantial gender differences in terms of use profiles, as well as pornography's association with relationship factors. Specifically, male pornography use was negatively associated with both male and female sexual quality, whereas female pornography use was positively associated with female sexual quality. The study also found that meaning explained a relatively small part of the relationship between pornography use and sexual quality.

Teacher-Child Relationships and Children's Externalizing Behaviors in Head Start

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whittaker, Jessica E. Vick; Jones Harden, Brenda

2010-01-01

This study explored the association between teacher-child relationship quality and Head Start children's externalizing behaviors. We also investigated the associations among teacher, student, and classroom characteristics and teacher-child relationship quality. Data were gathered from 100 Head Start children and their teachers. Teacher-child…

Depressive Symptoms and Romantic Relationship Qualities from Adolescence through Emerging Adulthood: A Longitudinal Examination of Influences

PubMed Central

Vujeva, Hana M.; Furman, Wyndol

2010-01-01

Research has consistently demonstrated the negative consequences of depression on adolescents’ functioning in peer and family relationships, but little work has examined how depressive symptoms affect the quality of adolescents’ and emerging adults’ romantic relationships. Five waves of data on depressive symptoms, romantic relationship conflict, and use of positive problem solving were collected from 188 boys and girls during middle adolescence to emerging adulthood. Latent growth curve models indicated that having more depressive symptoms when 15 years old was associated with both more increase in relationship conflict and less increase in positive problem solving as compared to adolescents with fewer depressive symptoms. These results suggest that depression in middle adolescence may impair subsequent romantic relationship qualities into late adolescence and emerging adulthood. PMID:21229449

Links between Marital Quality, the Mother-Child Relationship and Child Behavior: A Multi-Level Modeling Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mark, Katharine M.; Pike, Alison

2017-01-01

We investigated the association between marital quality and child behavior, assessing mother-child relationship quality as a potential mediator. The sample included 78 mothers with two target children (mean ages = 9.82 and 12.05 years, respectively). Mothers reported on their children's behavior as well as their marital quality, while each child…

The Relationship between Perceived Quality of Mentoring and Anticipated Turnover among Executives in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curtis, Lynne K.

2011-01-01

The purpose of the study was to identify if there was a relationship between the perceived quality of mentoring and the intention to quit among executive leaders in the field of higher education. The quality in mentoring (QIM) questionnaire was used to measure the quality of four separate aspects of a mentoring program: management and support…

The Developmental Significance of Adolescent Romantic Relationships: Parent and Peer Predictors of Engagement and Quality at Age 15

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roisman, Glenn I.; Booth-LaForce, Cathryn; Cauffman, Elizabeth; Spieker, Susan

2009-01-01

From a longitudinal sample (n = 957; 49.9% male; 77.3% White/non-Hispanic) of participants studied from infancy through age 15, adolescents' depth of engagement in, and quality of romantic relationships were predicted from early and contemporaneous parent-child interactive quality and peer social competence. High quality maternal parenting and…

Stress, social relationships and health outcomes in low-income Francistown, Botswana.

PubMed

Modie-Moroka, Tirelo

2014-08-01

Studies assessing the impact of stress on health outcomes are lacking in developing countries such as Botswana, in Southern Africa. This study examines the relationships between individual life stressors (stressful life events and chronic life stressors), social relationships and quality of life (QoL), for low-income urban residents in Francistown, Botswana. Although there are many studies of social support and quality of life, no studies have so far explored the relationship among the three variables. Selected concepts from stress theory are used as a conceptual framework. Using a cross-sectional quantitative design (both descriptive and explanatory), this study examined the associations among life stress (stressful life events and chronic life stressors), social relationships, and four indicators of health and QoL among a sample of 388 low-income urban dwellers in Francistown, Botswana. Using multiple regression models, the results of this study show that the availability of social relationships was associated with better physical and psychological health and level of independence. Controlling for the physical domain of QoL, social relationships buffered the effects of chronic life stressors on QoL and level of independence. Social relationships buffer the effects of stressful life events on quality, not on psychological well-being. Social relationships had no moderating effect on physical health, level of independence and on quality of life.

Anticipated stigma and quality of life among people living with chronic illnesses.

PubMed

Earnshaw, Valerie A; Quinn, Diane M; Park, Crystal L

2012-06-01

We examined the process by which anticipated stigma relates to quality of life among people living with chronic illnesses. We hypothesized that stress, social support and patient satisfaction mediate the relationships between three sources of anticipated stigma and quality of life. Data were collected from adults living with chronic illnesses recruited from support groups and online communities, and were analysed with path analysis. Results demonstrated that stress mediated the relationships between anticipated stigma from friends and family, and work colleagues with quality of life; social support mediated the relationships between anticipated stigma from friends and family, and work colleagues with quality of life; and patient satisfaction mediated the relationship between anticipated stigma from healthcare providers with quality of life. The final path model fit the data well (χ (2) (8) = 8.66, p = 0.37; RMSEA = 0.02; CFI = 0.99; SRMR = 0.03), and accounted for 60% of the variance in participants' quality of life. This work highlights potential points of intervention to improve quality of life. It calls attention to the importance of differentiating between sources of anticipated stigma in clinical settings, interventions and research involving people living with chronic illnesses.

City Life: Rankings (Livability) versus Perceptions (Satisfaction)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okulicz-Kozaryn, Adam

2013-01-01

I investigate the relationship between the popular Mercer city ranking (livability) and survey data (satisfactions). Livability aims to capture "objective" quality of life such as infrastructure. Survey items capture "subjective" quality of life such as satisfaction with city. The relationship between objective measures of quality of life and…

Child Care Subsidy and Program Quality Revisited

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Antle, Becky F.; Frey, Andy; Barbee, Anita; Frey, Shannon; Grisham-Brown, Jennifer; Cox, Megan

2008-01-01

Research Findings: Previous research has documented conflicting results on the relationship between program quality and the percentage of children receiving subsidized child care (subsidy density) in early childhood centers. This research examined the relationship between subsidy density and the quality of infant and preschool classrooms in child…

Advantage and choice: social relationships and staff assistance in assisted living.

PubMed

Burge, Stephanie; Street, Debra

2010-05-01

OBJECTIVES. To understand how "cumulative inequality" (CI), expressed as individual advantage and choice, and "external social supports" contribute to the quality of social relationships and perceptions of staff assistance for older individuals in different assisted living (AL) settings. Data are from 429 cognitively intact AL residents aged 60 years and older interviewed for the Florida Study of Assisted Living. Bivariate and multivariate statistical analyses show how individual advantage and choice and external social networks influence respondents' social relationships and staff assistance in AL. Controlling for resident and facility characteristics, being able to pay privately enhances resident satisfaction with staff assistance and having control over the move to AL is positively associated with perceptions of staff relationships and assistance. Maintaining contact with pre-AL friends predicts quality of coresident relationships, as does family contact. Regular contact with family buffers some of the disadvantages associated with CI for perceptions of staff relationships but not perceptions of staff assistance. Discussion. Individual advantage and choice influence the quality of staff relationships and assistance for AL residents but matter little for coresident relationships. External social relationships buffer some of the risks associated with CI for perceptions of staff relationships but not perceived quality of staff assistance. Findings highlight outcomes associated with CI, including predictable risks that disadvantaged elders face in particular types of AL settings, differential advantages others enjoy that influence positive perceptions of staff relationships and staff assistance, and the enduring importance of supportive social relationships.

Is there a relationship between high-quality performance in major teaching hospitals and residents' knowledge of quality and patient safety?

PubMed

Pingleton, Susan K; Horak, Bernard J; Davis, David A; Goldmann, Donald A; Keroack, Mark A; Dickler, Robert M

2009-11-01

The relationship of the quality of teaching hospitals' clinical performance to resident education in quality and patient safety is unclear. The authors studied residents' knowledge of these areas in major teaching hospitals with higher- and lower-quality performance rankings. They assessed the presence of formal and informal quality curricula to determine whether programmatic differences exist. The authors used qualitative research methodology with purposeful sampling. They gathered data from individual structured interviews with residents and key educational and quality leaders in six medical schools and teaching hospitals, which represented a range of quality performance rankings, geographic regions, and public or private status. No relationship emerged between a hospital's quality status, residents' curriculum, and the residents' understanding of quality. Residents' definitions of quality and safety and their knowledge of the practice-based learning and systems-based practice competencies were indistinguishable between hospitals. Residents in all programs had extensive patient safety knowledge acquired through an informal curriculum in the hospital setting. A formal curriculum existed in only two programs, both of them ambulatory settings. Residents' learning about quality and patient safety is extensive, largely through a positive informal curriculum in the teaching hospital and, less frequently, via a formal curriculum. No relationship was found between the quality performance of the teaching hospital and the residents' curriculum or understanding of quality or safety. Residents seem to learn through an informal curriculum provided by hospital initiatives and resources, and thus these data suggest the importance of major teaching hospitals in quality education.

How and when service quality and satisfaction simultaneously influence purchase intentions?

PubMed

Huang, Yu-Ying; Li, Shyh-Jane; Yang, Miles M

2011-08-01

Th e purpose of this study is to examine how and when service quality and satisfaction simultaneously influence purchase intentions. The study tries to explore and clarify the relationship between service quality and satisfaction, and to examine whether satisfaction simultaneously moderates and mediates the relationship between perceived service quality and purchase intentions. A field survey was conducted for the outpatients of 12 regional hospitals in Taiwan. The findings show that the effects of different dimensions of service quality on purchase intentions are not equal across satisfied and unsatisfied patients. This study provides empirical evidence that show how the dual roles of the moderator and mediator manipulated together by satisfaction, work to affect purchase intentions in hospital settings. In addition, the relationships between service quality and satisfaction are also clarified.

Attachment style, relationship quality, and psychological distress in patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures versus epilepsy.

PubMed

Green, Becky; Norman, Paul; Reuber, Markus

2017-01-01

Psychopathology levels are elevated in patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) and those with epilepsy. However, patients with PNES report higher rates of trauma and neglect, poorer health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and an increased prevalence of insecure attachment. We examined to what extent attachment style and relationship quality with their main informal carer impact on levels of HRQoL, depression, and anxiety in patients with PNES versus those with epilepsy. Consecutive patients with PNES (N=23) and epilepsy (N=72) completed questionnaires about attachment style, quality of their relationship with their main informal carer, seizure severity, HRQoL, depression, and anxiety. Patients with PNES reported higher levels of anxiety and depression and lower HRQoL than those with epilepsy. PNES: No significant correlations were found with HRQoL but depression correlated positively with attachment avoidance, attachment anxiety, and relationship conflict. Anxiety correlated positively with attachment avoidance, attachment anxiety, and relationship conflict, and negatively with relationship depth and support. Epilepsy: HRQoL correlated negatively with seizure severity, depression, anxiety, attachment avoidance, and attachment anxiety. Depression correlated positively with attachment avoidance, attachment anxiety, and relationship conflict. Anxiety correlated positively with seizure severity, attachment avoidance, and attachment anxiety. Correlations between measures of relationship quality and anxiety were stronger in patients with PNES versus those with epilepsy (zs=2.66 to 2.97, ps<0.004). Attachment style and relationship quality explained larger amounts of variance in depression (45%) and anxiety (60%) in the patients with PNES than those with epilepsy (16% and 13%). Levels of anxiety and depression were higher in patients with PNES than those with epilepsy. Interpersonal problems were much more closely associated with anxiety and depression in patients with PNES than those with epilepsy. The findings support the use of therapeutic interventions for PNES focusing on attachment and relationship issues. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Longitudinal Examination of Mentoring Relationships on Organizational Commitment and Citizenship Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donaldson, Stewart I.; Ensher, Ellen A.; Grant-Vallone, Elisa J.

2000-01-01

A 6-month study of 157 workers being mentored found that proteges with high-quality mentoring relationships had higher levels of organizational commitment over time. Relationship quality also influenced levels of self-reported organizational citizenship behavior (helping co-workers, volunteering beyond job duties). However, such behavior was not…

Parents' Experiences of Discrimination and Family Relationship Qualities: The Role of Gender

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riina, Elizabeth M.; McHale, Susan M.

2010-01-01

Mothers and fathers in 156 African American families reported on racial discrimination experiences, gendered traits, and warmth and conflict in family relationships. Discrimination was linked with relationship quality, but links differed for mothers and fathers. More expressive parents and less instrumental fathers had more positive relationships…

Sibling Relationship Quality and Social Functioning of Children and Adolescents with Intellectual Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Floyd, Frank J.; Purcell, Susan E.; Richardson, Shana S.; Kupersmidt, Janis B.

2009-01-01

We examined sibling relationships for children and adolescents with intellectual disability and assessed implications for their social functioning. Targets (total N = 212) had either intellectual disability, a chronic illness/physical disability, or no disability. Nontarget siblings reported on relationship quality, sibling interactions were…

The Association of Perceived Provider-Patient Communication and Relationship Quality with Colorectal Cancer Screening

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Underhill, Meghan L.; Kiviniemi, Marc T.

2012-01-01

Background: Two-thirds of adults aged 50 years and older are adherent to recommendations for colorectal cancer screening. Provider-patient communication and characteristics of the patient-provider relationship may relate to screening behavior. Methods: The association of provider communication quality, relationship, and colorectal cancer screening…

The Student-Teacher Relationship Quality of Abused Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armstrong, Jenna Montgomery; Haskett, Mary E.; Hawkins, Amy L.

2017-01-01

Considering the association between children's quality of relationships with teachers and their academic adjustment, information pertaining to how abused children are functioning in their relationships with teachers could be useful in promoting their academic success--yet there has been limited research in this area. The purpose of this study was…