Education Commons^™

Infant And Toddler Care, Maggie Trecker

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this review of recent research is to identify the quality of care that infants and toddlers are receiving in both home-based and center-based care settings. The review will also identify how infant and toddler caregivers perceive their work, and ways that professional development opportunities can positively impact the quality of care for infant and toddlers. The conclusion of this literature review includes recommendations for future action and education policies based on the research reviewed.

Perceived Effects Of Family Status Changes On Male Collegiate Outdoor Recreation Coordinators, Andrew K. Martin

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

A career as a collegiate outdoor recreation professional is both a challenging and rewarding occupation. It is a position that consists of inconsistent hours as well as extended periods away from home. This qualitative study identified how changes in family status affect an individual’s perception of the position as a collegiate outdoor recreation coordinator. More specifically, the perceived benefits or challenges that occur throughout the family status changes, and what effect, if any, these perceptions had on the individual’s work performance, job satisfaction and career longevity.

Using a phenomenological approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight individuals who were employed …

Divorce : Supporting Children And Adolescents, Shannon Griffiths

Graduate Research Papers

Divorce impacts millions of families each year. The experience of a divorce is a process rather than a single event. Children and adolescents experience the divorce process differently. Children often go through five grieving stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Divorce can be devastating to adolescents because they have a broader sense of reality and the world as it applies to their life. Older children are often seen as capable of handing the divorce process and asked to make difficult decisions regarding custody. All children and adolescents who experience their parent's divorce should try counseling. The children and adolescents …

Stress And Coping Behavior : The Effects Of Poverty On Women And Children, Laura J. Sorensen Lyons

Graduate Research Papers

The following paper reviews research on poverty, its effects on women and their children, and how they cope with the increased level of stress. There are more single headed households now than ever, the majority headed by women. This adds an increased level of stress on both the women and the children they care for. Research also shows that a large number of these families are also coping with the special needs of their children. This stress leads many women and children to cope in some conventional and unconventional ways.

Schools are playing an increasingly larger role in the lives …

Children With Developmental Disabilities : Considering Positive Impact On The Family System, Tracie L. Self

Graduate Research Papers

Families who have at least one child with a developmental disability face challenges unique to their situation. With reported incidents of developmental disabilities on the rise, research parameters are being expanded to give more complete consideration of growing family needs. While the historical treatment of these families has often been negative, current research trends have begun to consider positive impact on families.

Positive impact includes areas such as quality of life, the child as a source of happiness, and an overall increase in personal family strength. The trend towards positivism is beginning to be reflected in theoretical understanding and in …

The Effects Of Divorce In A Society With Ever-Changing Family Structures, Rebecca L. Ahlstrom

Graduate Research Papers

Divorce rates have doubled since the 1970s, this has influenced both the structure and the impact of the family. It is imperative not to overlook the large and growing population of children affected by divorce. This paper will discuss the differences of important variables involved, such as age, gender and cultural background. In addition, it will discuss in detail outreach ideas and intervention strategies including small groups, mentoring programs, and bibliotherapy that have all been effective in supporting these children and their families in this crucial change of family structure. Children in single parent and blended families are considered "at-risk" …

Understanding The Plight Of The Terminally Ill Population, Richelle C. Bouska

Graduate Research Papers

The emotional, physical, social, and relational experiences of the terminally ill population were investigated. The literature strongly stated that the dying process, though physically and psychologically taxing, need not be devoid of meaning. It was also discovered that though patient disease trajectories and emotional experiences are highly individualized many helpful generalizations can be made. The research findings support the belief that mental health practitioners have much to offer the dying person as he or she wrestles with impending death.

Children Living In Poverty, Katie E. Long

Graduate Research Papers

Although many books and articles have been written regarding poverty and its effects among children, there is an increasing need for school counselors to provide programs and support to empower children of poverty. Research indicates that poverty is increasing among Americans (Payne, 2003). Nutrition and health are a major concern among families of poverty, and approximately thirteen million children experience hunger on a daily basis (Prince & Howard, 2002).

Children who have not met their basic needs come to school with a different agenda: survival. Although health is itself an outcome, it can also be viewed as a pathway by …

Grief And Loss Associated With Divorce : A Counseling Perspective, Lisa A. Lydon

Graduate Research Papers

Based on grief and loss literature, as well as literature on divorce, this paper examines divorce as a loss that evokes grief in various individuals. A brief definition of grief and loss is first articulated. An emphasis is,placed on the classifications of loss, such as major, physical, psychological, primary, and secondary loss. Divorce is discussed as a major and primary loss with multiple secondary losses associated with it. The perspectives of various professionals as they relate to divorce as a loss are examined. This paper also considers implications to counselors when divorce is viewed as a grief and loss issue.

Grandparents In Education Project, Kim Renee Freund

Graduate Research Papers

The research strongly suggests that family involvement in education is vital to a child's academic achievement (Epstein, 1987; Zill, 1996). The Grandparent in Education Project goes beyond the parents and into the previous generation of grandparents. In many families grandparents have played a key role in children's lives. Today the numbers of grandparents that help raise or are full-time guardians to children are on the rise (Bafile, 1999). It is a logical connection to include them in today's educational environment.

Another important component is technology and the current role it plays in society. Digital media is continuing to influence communication …

Understanding Grief And Loss With Children From Divorced Families, Angela C. Meyer

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this paper is to present information about how grief and loss affect children from divorced families. Divorce can be just as traumatic as the death of a loved one, and the divorce rate continually increases every year. Two models of grief and how they apply to children of divorce are presented, as well as an explanation the process of grief in relation to divorce. Finally, this researcher identifies prevention and intervention techniques that schools and the whole community can use to aid children through the grief process of divorce.

Effects Of Divorce On Adolescents : Interventions, Abigail C. Buchan

Graduate Research Papers

The family environment is a major contributor to the development and well-being of children and adolescents. The traditional definition for family is ever changing, and diversity in families is becoming more acknowledged and accepted. It is well known that currently more than half of all marriages end in divorce. It is necessary to understand the significant challenges and issues that young people of divorced families are faced with in order to facilitate positive change and resiliency in the counseling process. The author provides a historical overview of the divorce epidemic, the effects of divorce on youth, as well as implications …

How Does Childhood Incest Affect The Interpersonal Relationships Of Adult Females, Lyle Potter

Graduate Research Papers

Incest has been occurring in families for many years, often behind a cloak of secrecy and fear of disclosure. More recently, the taboo in talking about incest has diminished, and many survivors of incest have come forward with their experiences to seek needed help. A major portion of the research has dealt with trying to understand the family dynamics. But a growing number of studies are beginning to look at the long term effects of the abuse, and some of them focus on adult interpersonal relationships. It is in this direction that this literature review and study will focus.

Parenting Styles In Society Today, Julie Hammond

Graduate Research Papers

This paper is a review of parenting styles relative to the importance of childrearing practices. Its primary focus is to identify and examine parenting styles, which impacts childrearing methods. The authoritarian, permissive, and authoritative methods were identified with strengths and weaknesses compared.

From the comparison, it was determined that the authoritative parenting style provides the most success for childrearing in today's changing American society. The conclusion of the paper offers guidelines and suggestions to parents on establishing this childrearing method.

Facing The Death Of A Child : Effects On The Family System, Rita Kae Conger

Graduate Research Papers

The death of a child could very well be the most difficult crisis a family system can face. The uniqueness and severity of this type of crisis make it quite important for those in the counseling field to be aware of the many different aspects of a child's death which may be very significant to the child's family.

For this reason, the purpose of this paper is to describe a number of variables which affect the healing process. These variables include the cause of death, the age of the child at the time of death, family dynamics, and the relationship …

Stepfamilies : Implications And Interventions For Children, Deanna S. Johnson

Graduate Research Papers

The American family has been in a state of transition for the past three decades. Marital dissolution has quadrupled in the past 20 years, with three in five marriages ending in divorce. Approximately 80% of divorced men and 75% of divorced women remarry, creating 5.3.million married-couple households in which at least one stepchild under 18 resides.

The author of this paper will address several factors and intervention strategies that have been identified as potential determinants of healthy adaptation in children in stepfamilies. Given the increasing prevalence of stepfamilies in this country, it is imperative that school counselors become knowledgeable in …

The Developmental Implications Of Parental Loss During Adolescence, Dacni C. Jones

Graduate Research Papers

This paper provides a comprehensive review of the literature that relates to the death of a parent and how this experience influences an adolescent. This review will answer the question of how adolescent cognitive, emotional, and social development is affected when a parent dies. After a brief definition of the words "adolescence" and "loss," the focus of this paper will be on the areas of cognitive, emotional, and social development and the effects of grief on development after a parent dies. This information can help mental health professionals and school counselors understand the impact of living through the experience of …

Children's Perceptions Of Older Adults : Past And Present, Mary Kathryn Hatcher Jones

Graduate Research Papers

This study compared more recent research findings, 1990s to present, with the results of earlier research studies, 1970s and 1980s, to determine whether children's perceptions of older adults have changed. Factors that contribute to and inhibit children's positive perceptions of older adults were identified. Guidelines for facilitating children's positive perceptions of older adults were suggested, and conclusions were drawn from the literature. Recommendations were made for further study of children's perceptions of older adults.

Children Of Divorce : Implication To Teaching, Gloria Mao

Graduate Research Papers

The primary focus of this paper is the causes of divorce and their effects on elementary-age children. The adjustment problems of children of divorce in classrooms are examined. The importance of teachers' roles in easing the transition to school for children of divorce is emphasized. Teachers are assumed to be in a better position to observe the changes of children of divorce and to help them to adjust to their parents' divorce. By being sensitive and supportive, teachers can make a difference in their students' lives. A 7-hour workshop designed to enhance teachers' understanding about children of divorce is described.