Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Distracted Parenting: How Social Media Affects Parent-Child Attachment, Denise Ante-Contreras

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Social media usage for parents has become ubiquitous, as either a form of entertainment or communication with other individuals. However, excessive use of social media has also shown to have effects on parenting; causing parental distraction, decreasing the level of everyday parental engagement, and making a child more likely to be at risk for injury. Studies have shown that frequent eye contact, one on one time, and undivided attention are necessary in building a secure attachment between a parent and child. The research study in question hoped to understand whether there was a correlation between the amount of hours a …

The Impact Of Incentive-Based Education On Mothers’ Understanding And Preparedness For Their Prenatal And Postpartum Experiences: A Reflective Study, Aubrey Nocito

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Incentive-based education has a clear purpose and vision for the populations served. It is important for these organizations to demonstrate that their impact is positive, and that resources from the community are utilized efficiently. The purpose of this study is to identify the impacts of incentive-based education on the understanding and preparedness of a mother’s prenatal and postpartum experiences. Baby Steps, a non-profit incentive-based education program, was used as the research site. Clients of Baby Steps who have been involved in the program since a time during their pregnancy and who have had their baby between 3-12 months ago participated …

Differences In The Impact Of A Healthy Relationship Intervention On Family Cohesion, Parent-Child Relationship And Child Well-Being By Intimate Partner Violence Relationship Type., Erin E. Ness Roberts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) between the parents of children living at home has shown to have a profound effect on learning outcomes, developmental milestones, pediatric development, future mental health and overall physical safety and wellbeing (Anda, Block & Felitti, 2003). Although much research has been done on outcomes of child-witnesses and parenting in IPV relationships, some evidence suggests (Kernsmith, 2006) that the role of family dynamics among parents, as part of the IPV dynamic, is a critical variable. Other researchers (Johnson, 1995; Graham-Kevan & Archer, 2003) have theorized that violence with a high degree of controlling behaviors, often called Coercive …

The Social Organization Of South Asian Immigrant Women’S Mothering In Canada, Ferzana Chaze

Faculty Publications and Scholarship

This research examines the social organization of newcomer South Asian women’s mothering work. It explicates the processes that contribute to South Asian women making changes to their mothering work after immigrating to Canada despite having reservations about the same. Data for this research was collected through interviews with 20 South Asian immigrant mothers who were raising school aged children in Canada and had been in the country for less than five years. Eight key informant interviews were conducted with persons who engaged with immigrant families in their work on an ongoing basis for insights into how their work connected to …

Beliefs Among Licensed Clinical Social Workers About Assessing Parents Abused As Children, Emma Celina Duarte

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Child abuse is a pressing national issue that affects thousands of children every year in the United States. The lifelong implications of child abuse been well documented in the literature, which identifies psychopathology, interpersonal violence and suicide risk, and substance abuse as a prominent triad of the negative sequelae of child abuse. Parents abused as children represent a subgroup that introduces additional domains of clinical interest and unique needs, including parenting stress and perceived parenting competence. These complex clusters of needs are clinically significant, and the beliefs licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs) hold about parents abused as children can significantly …

Custodial Grandmothers Raising Children With Disabilities And The Stressors They Face, Kanika Oni Kisero

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Stressors that custodial grandmothers face while raising children with disabilities can be more overwhelming compared to stressors experienced by grandmothers of non-disabled children. Strategies and various supports were looked into in order to determine how custodial grandmothers practice self-care so they may experience positive mental health outcomes. A purposive sample of custodial grandmothers was surveyed and the results obtained provided some support on how self-care is and is not practiced in order to manage stress. This study resulted in non-significant findings, which did not support the hypotheses. Additional analysis was used to gauge levels of stress, but could not …

To Those Who Know A Hurting Child, Tara Boer

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"Current research tells us that kids who witness or experience hard things actually lose some ability to make good choices. It’s not that they won’t or don’t want to make the good choice…sometimes they just can’t. When kids are chronically exposed to trauma the part of their brain that helps them with language, flexibility, and mood regulation actually shrinks. ... The good news is that God made our brains so thoughtfully that they can actually grow and change."

Posting about children and trauma and what we can do about it from In All Things - an online hub committed to …

Teaching Is So Weird, David F. Lancy

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

Direct active teaching by parents is largely absent in children’s lives until the rise of WEIRD (Western, educated, industrialized rich, democratic) society. However, as mothers become schooled and missionized – like Kline’s Fijian subjects – they adopt “modern” parenting practices, including teaching. There is great variability, even within WEIRD society, of parental teaching, suggesting that teaching itself must be culturally transmitted.

Mexican American And European American Adolescents' Dating Experiences Across The Ecosystem: Implications For Healthy Relationships Within An Ecodevelopmental Framework, Heidi Adams Rueda, Julie L. Nagoshi, Lela Rankin Williams

Social Work Faculty Publications

Dating health interventions that target the complex, multi-systemic spheres in which adolescents experience their first romantic relationships are required. This study utilizes an ecodevelopmental approach to better understand Mexican American and European American youths' perceptions of how peers, parents, school, and the media act both independently and collectively to affect their dating lives, also elucidating how such systems are at times in conflict. Seventy-five middle adolescents participated in focus groups divided by gender and ethnicity to uncover differences and similarities within and across groups. Findings underscore the importance and widespread effects of romantic relationships for adolescents' social development and the …

Exploring Clinicians' Use Of Evidence-Based Interventions That Treat Attachment Problems Between Children, Five Years Of Age And Under, And Their Primary Caregivers, Jean Faucher

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This exploratory quantitative study was an attempt to address the dearth of research regarding the use of attachment-focused evidence-based treatments (AF EBT) in the clinical setting. Thirty-eight Master’s level or higher licensed mental health clinicians who work with children that are five years old and under, as well as with their primary caregivers, were surveyed via an anonymous web based questionnaire. The survey explored clinicians’ level of awareness, training, use, adaptation, and perceived effectiveness regarding four AF EBTs, as well as potential barriers that may have impeded their use. The AF EBTs were Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP), Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-UP …

A Developmental Systems Approach To Exploring The Plasticity And Diversity Of Teen Childbearers' Parenting Behaviors, Andrea Gromoske

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Many empirical studies indicate that teen childbearers, in comparison to adult childbearers, are more likely to exhibit maladaptive parenting behaviors, including low responsivity, harsh discipline, and child maltreatment. Yet, it is unclear whether teen childbearers are likely to engage consistently in poor parenting over time, why they may continue to engage in poor parenting, and which teen childbearers are most likely to engage in poor parenting persistently. Methods: This study used secondary data to investigate the person-in-context, temporality, plasticity, and diversity of teen childbearers' parenting behaviors using cross-sectional regressions, latent growth curve models, and joint longitudinal cluster analysis. Results: …

The Impact Of Home Visitor Relationship Quality On Parenting And Child Outcomes: Does Maternal Age Matter?, Elizabeth A. Colsey

Senior Honors Theses

Early Head Start (EHS) is an early intervention program that seeks to mitigate the effects of risk for those families with young children. Consistent with attachment theory, the home visiting component of EHS targets parent-child relationships in order to combat negative child outcomes. Research indicates that children of adolescent mothers are susceptible to poor outcomes both in childhood and adulthood. The current study utilized EHS data from 1198 parent-child dyads to assess the indirect relationship of home visitor quality on child aggression through parent quality, as moderated by maternal age. Findings indicated that home visitor quality may have a greater …

Understanding The Behaviors And Beliefs Of African-American/Black Fathers: A Qualitative Examination, Nicholas James Gomulinski

Wayne State University Theses

UNDERSTANDING THE BEHAVIORS AND BELIEFS OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN/BLACK FATHERS: A QUALITATIVE EXAMINATION

by

NICHOLAS J. GOMULINSKI

May 2013

Advisor: Dr. Stella M. Resko

Major: Social Work

Degree: Master of Social Work

The positive influence father involvement has on children has been widely examined and embraced. Despite this, examination of men's beliefs on parenting and where they learn their parenting practices has only recently received attention. This study surveyed African-American/Black fathers in five focus groups (N=26) regarding where they felt they learned how to be a father, and what parenting behaviors they use or believe in. The responses from the participants were …

Hispanics, Acculturation, And Parenting, Rocio Chavez De Alvarado

MSW Capstones

This qualitative, exploratory study examined the experiences of immigrant Hispanic parents when raising their children in the American culture. Through the use of purposive sampling six parent-participants and five youth-participants were identified and selected. The study’s inclusion criteria established the participation of individuals with the following characteristics: a) immigrant Hispanic parents who immigrated to the US within the last 20 years and who have been raising their children in the American culture, especially in the State of Washington; b) 12 to 19 years old US born youth whose parents are Hispanic immigrants; or c) 12 to 19 years old immigrant …

Effective Single-Parent Training Group Program: Three System Studies, Harold E. Briggs, Keva M. Miller, Edwin Roberto Orellana, Adam C. Briggs, Wendell H. Cox

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objective: This study highlights Dr. Elsie Pinkston and colleagues’ research on the effectiveness of behavior parent training and examines the application of single-parent training group (SPG) programs to three parent–child dyads exposed to distressed family circumstances. Methods: Single-system evaluation designs were conducted with two single birth parents, one single foster parent, and each parent’s three respective children, in an effort to appraise the results of a SPG program.

Results: Two of the three parent–child dyads benefited from the SPG. Results suggested that there were changes in parent reinforcement and attention behaviors and children’s noncompliance behaviors.

Conclusion: Behavioral improvements in …

The Baby Blues: Mothers' Experiences After Adoption, Brigette Barno Schupay

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

It is not uncommon for new mothers to experience depression. However, depression after the arrival of a child is not limited to biological mothers. The term Post-Adoption Depression Syndrome (PADS) was created to capture the unique type of depression that may occur after adopting a child. The nature and prevalence of depression after adoption is still largely unknown since there is little published research exploring the experiences of mothers in the first year after adopting a child. The characteristics of this disorder are reportedly comparable to postpartum depression in a biological mother. A review of postpartum literature reveals risk …

Promoting Positive Parenting In The Context Of Homelessness, Staci Perlman, Beryl Cowan, Abigail Gewirtz, Mary Haskett, Lauren Stokes

Staci Perlman

Recent national reports suggest that nearly 1,000,000 families with children experience homelessness and that this number is rising (National Center on Family Homelessness, 2009; U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2010; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2011). Families experiencing homelessness are disproportionately more likely to have experienced economic, health, and social risk factors. These experiences can adversely influence the parent–child relationship. The purpose of this article is to (a) review the literature on the determinants and contextual issues of parenting in shelters; (b) describe specific programs that are focused on positive parenting in the context of homelessness; and (c) provide …

Factors That Impact Parent-Child Closeness In Special Needs Adoptions, Mary Morrison

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

This study set out to determine if adoptive parents with biological children would report a lower degree of closeness with their adoptive child with special needs than adoptive parents without biological children. A review of the literature showed that multiple factors impact the rates of adoption disruption and parental satisfaction, including; stress, externalizing behaviors exhibited by the child, family structure and levels of pre and post-adoption support provided to parents and families. One hundred and twelve adoptive parents responded by completing an online survey. Levels of closeness between the adoptive parent and their adoptive child were measured using a five …

If Not Welfare, Then What?: How Single Mothers Finance College Post-Welfare Reform, Kristin Wilson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The article follows previous work on TANF and AFDC by asking if not welfare, then what social programs and financial aid programs are low-income women using to support their college attendance, and what is the impact of these programs on the college-going decisions of low-income women? The study is based on case studies of 10 low-income women attending a community college. Results indicated that EITC, food stamps, and subsidized housing are stable sources of funding. However, each of these programs requires diferent application processes and compliance regulations. Only the Pell Grant was viewed as a dependable source of funding for …

Surviving The Early Years Of The Personal Responsibility And Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, Joyce Bialik

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

A system that increasingly stigmatized its recipients only became more stigmatizing with the enactment in 1996 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) program. This program has been so successful in deterring cashneedy people from applying for assistance that the decline in participation from the start of the program continues-even in times of economic downturn. The study reported here follows 150 impoverished families during the first three years of PRWORA, when the economy was booming. The data were derived from the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project of 1996-2001. Through this secondary analysis a construct was …

Homeownership And Parenting Practices: Evidence From The Community Advantage Panel, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Trina R.W. Shanks, Kim R. Manturuk, Clinton C. Key, Jong-Gyu Paik, Johanna K.P. Greeson

Johanna K.P. Greeson, PhD, MSS, MLSP

This study examines whether there is a significant relationship between homeownership and engaged parenting practices among low- and moderate-income households. Using analytic methods which account for selection effects and clustering, we test whether homeownership can act as a protective factor against parental disengagement from children. Controlling for individual characteristics, analyses demonstrate that homeowners are more likely than renters to demonstrate engaged parenting behaviors such as organizing structured activities for their children. While renters are more likely to read to their children, the children of homeowners spend less time watching television and playing video games. Implications for low-income housing policy are …

Parental Cognitive Disabilities And Child Protection Services: The Need For Human Capacity Building, Sandra T. Azar, Kristin N. Read

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Theories regarding the social cognitive origins of parenting risk have recently emerged. This work not only has implications for the nature of interventions with parents, but also for the approaches taken by the social service systems that work with them. This paper reviews the evidence that there is a significant number of parents with cognitive disabilities within child protection caseloads and outlines the types of human capacity building and organizational development that are needed to support the parents' needs. Such capacity building will not only increase the effectiveness of child protection interventions with parents with cognitive disabilities (PCD), but will …

Child Welfare Intervention In Visible Minority Immigrant Families: The Role Of Poverty And The Mothering Discourse, Ferzana Chaze

Faculty Publications and Scholarship

This paper explores the relationships between barriers to employment for visible minority immigrants, poverty, Mothering Discourse and child welfare intervention. It is argued that the barriers that visible minority immigrant face in securing suitable employment is the main factor contributing to the poverty of these groups in Canada. The stressors associated with lack of financial security and its associated problems, combined with perceptions regarding cultural norms related to parenting within visible minority populations make the children in these families at risk of child abuse and neglect. The North American Mothering Discourse and the manner in which it causes visible minority …

Promoting Fathers' Engagement With Children: Preventive Interventions For Low-Income Families, Philip A. Cowan, Carolyn Pape Cowan, Marsha Kline Pruett, Kyle Pruett, Jessie J. Wong

School for Social Work: Faculty Publications

Few programs to enhance fathers' engagement with children have been systematically evaluated, especially for low-income minority populations. In this study, 289 couples from primarily low-income Mexican American and European American families were randomly assigned to one of three conditions and followed for 18 months: 16-week groups for fathers, 16-week groups for couples, or a 1-time informational meeting. Compared with families in the low-dose comparison condition, intervention families showed positive effects on fathers' engagement with their children, couple relationship quality, and children's problem behaviors. Participants in couples' groups showed more consistent, longer term positive effects than those in fathers-only groups. Intervention …

Examining The Meaning Attached To Mental Illness And Mental Health Services Among Juvenile Justice Involved Youth And Their Parents, Amy C. Watson Phd, Brian L. Kelly Phd, Theresea M. Vidalon Msw

Brian L.Kelly

Characteristics Of Evidence-Based Parent-Training Programs, Peggy Sorensen

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Purpose: To identify key characteristics in evidence-based parent-training programs that ensure effectiveness and efficiency for agencies serving families with children aged 5–9 with emotional and behavioral disorders. My research strategy will be to do a literature review of evidence-based parent-training programs that strengthen parent competencies, foster parent’s involvement in school, decrease children’s behavioral problems and strengthen children’s social and academic competencies.

Problem to be addressed: When children receive inconsistent or ineffective discipline from parents, they are at risk of developing childhood behavioral disorders. By adolescence, these problems can develop into Conduct Disorders as demonstrated by violence, substance abuse and criminal …

New Mothers’ Psychological Experience And Behavioral Interactions With Their Infants In The First 12 Months, Timothy Page, Terri Combs-Orme, Daphne S. Cain

Social Work Publications and Other Works

We examined the psychological dimensions of parents’ perceptions of their infant children and their own abilities as parents at two observation points in a racially and socio-economically diverse sample of 174 mothers. Parenting perceptions and life circumstances were hypothesized to predict interactive behavior observed in the home. Baseline assessments were conducted in hospital, within 36 hr of delivery. Follow-up assessments were conducted in their homes when the children were 6 to 12 months old. Of five major psychological constructs studied, only parents’ perceptions of children, represented particularly by empathic responsiveness and absence of role-reversal, predicted the quality of behavioral interactions …

Resilient Parenting: Overcoming Poor Parental Bonding, W. Travis, Terri Combs-Orme

Social Work Publications and Other Works

This study identified groups of mothers with varying patterns of adaptive functioning and bonds with their own parents. These patterns were related to mothers' parenting of their own children to understand how some mothers avoid repeating the cycle of poor parenting. Data from 210 new mothers were analyzed before hospital discharge about bonding with their caregivers during childhood and six to 12 months later about adaptive functioning, life circumstances, and parenting. Latent cluster analysis identified four distinct groups of mothers with regard to parental bonds and adaptive functioning: positive-adaptive mothers (good bonding and good adaptive functioning), positive-maladaptive mothers (good bonding …

Resilient Parenting: Overcoming Poor Parental Bonding, W. Travis, Terri Combs-Orme

Terri Combs-Orme

This study identified groups of mothers with varying patterns of adaptive functioning and bonds with their own parents. These patterns were related to mothers' parenting of their own children to understand how some mothers avoid repeating the cycle of poor parenting. Data from 210 new mothers were analyzed before hospital discharge about bonding with their caregivers during childhood and six to 12 months later about adaptive functioning, life circumstances, and parenting. Latent cluster analysis identified four distinct groups of mothers with regard to parental bonds and adaptive functioning: positive-adaptive mothers (good bonding and good adaptive functioning), positive-maladaptive mothers (good bonding …

New Mothers’ Psychological Experience And Behavioral Interactions With Their Infants In The First 12 Months, Timothy Page, Terri Combs-Orme, Daphne S. Cain

Terri Combs-Orme

We examined the psychological dimensions of parents’ perceptions of their infant children and their own abilities as parents at two observation points in a racially and socio-economically diverse sample of 174 mothers. Parenting perceptions and life circumstances were hypothesized to predict interactive behavior observed in the home. Baseline assessments were conducted in hospital, within 36 hr of delivery. Follow-up assessments were conducted in their homes when the children were 6 to 12 months old. Of five major psychological constructs studied, only parents’ perceptions of children, represented particularly by empathic responsiveness and absence of role-reversal, predicted the quality of behavioral interactions …