Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Psychological Distress, And Fathering Behaviors, Kevin Shafer, Scott D. Easton

Faculty Publications

Objective

This study examines the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), internalized and externalized psychological distress, and six measures of parenting behavior among fathers in the United States.

Background

Prior research on ACEs and parenting has focused almost exclusively on mothers, specific types of childhood adversity, and the intergenerational transmission of abuse, neglect, and other traumatic experiences. This study extends the literature by considering ACEs in fathers, using a multidimensional measure of ACEs, and multiple measures of positive and negative fathering behavior.

Method

Using the ecological model of father involvement, this study is based on a national sample of more …

Childhood Adversity, Mental Health, And The Perpetration Of Physical Violence In The Adult Intimate Relationships Of Women Prisoners: A Life Course Approach, Melissa S. Jones, Stephanie W. Burge, Susan F. Sharp, David A. Mcleod

Faculty Publications

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are common, with nearly two-thirds of adult samples reporting exposure to at least one and one-quarter reporting exposure to three or more distinct types of ACEs. ACEs have been linked to various negative outcomes across the life course, including mental health problems, and the perpetration of physical violence in intimate relationships. However, little is known about the relationships between ACEs, PTSD symptomology, and use of physical violence against an adult intimate partner among incarcerated women.

Objective: The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships between ACEs, PTSD symptoms, and the perpetration of the …

A Longitudinal Study Of Resident Emotional Stability, Self-Reported Health And Perceptions Of Programmatic Support, Aaron B. Franzen, Benjamin R. Doolittle

Faculty Publications

Purpose: Certain characteristics such as acceptance, planning, and humility have correlated with less burnout among resident physicians. However, less is known about residency program culture, socialization, and support. The purpose of this study is to investigate social isolation, solidarity, stress, and frustration over time, their self-reported health, as well as the programmatic support.

Methods: A longitudinal self-administered survey implemented within an academic pediatric residency program to track resident characteristics over time.

Results: In Wave 1, among 101 residents, 78 (77%) responded. In Wave 2, among 98 residents, 73 (74%) responded. 45 residents were in both Wave 1 and 2. All …

Stress Buffer Or Identity Threat?: Negative Media Portrayal, Public And Private Religious Involvement, And Mental Health In A National Sample Of Us Adults, Samuel Stroope, Mark H. Walker, Aaron B. Franzen

Faculty Publications

Guided by the stress process tradition, complex links between religion and mental health have received growing attention from researchers. This study gauges individuals’ public and private religiosity, uses a novel measure of environmental stress—negative media portrayal of religion—and presents two divergent hypotheses: (1) religiosity as stress-exacerbating attachment to valued identities producing mental health vulnerability to threat and (2) religiosity as stress-buffering social psychological resource. To assess these hypotheses, we analyze three mental health outcomes (generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and general mental health problems) in national U.S. data from 2010 (N = 1,714). Our findings align with the stress-buffering perspective. Results …

Gender And Attitudes About Mental Health Help Seeking: Results From National Data, Douglas Wendt, Kevin Shafer

Faculty Publications

Men often express less emotion than women do, are hesitant to express weakness, and seek professional help much less frequently than do their female counterparts. The lack of help seeking is common across characteristics such as age, race, ethnicity, and nationality. Authors used data from the 2006 General Social Surveys mental health module to suggest that the gender gap in help seeking may be rooted in attitudes regarding help-seeking behaviors generally. Using structural equation modeling, we linked vignette type (depression and schizophrenia) to the endorsement of help seeking from informal and formal sources. Men showed similar support for informal help …

Men's Mental Health: A Call To Social Workers, Kevin Shafer, Douglas Wendt

Faculty Publications

Substantial attention is paid to the mental health needs of women and children by social work researchers, educators, and practitioners—and with good reason, as these are two vulnerable populations in U.S. society. However, the status of men's mental health; its resulting effect on individuals, families, and communities; and the various challenges associated with it are often overlooked by social workers. The authors document the prevalence of common mental health issues among men in the United States, the unique problems that men face, and help-seeking behaviors. They also discuss how social work is in an exceptional position to help men, and …

Romantic Relationships And The Physical And Mental Health Of College Students, Scott R. Braithwaite, Raquel Delevi, Frank Fincham

Faculty Publications

This study tested the hypothesis that, analogous to married individuals, college students in committed romantic relationships experience greater well-being than single college students. In a sample of 1,621 college students, individuals in committed relationships experienced fewer mental health problems and were less likely to be overweight/obese. There were no significant differences between groups in frequency of physical health problems. Examination of 2 models suggested that being in a committed romantic relationship decreases problematic outcomes largely through a reduction in sexual partners, which in turn decreases both risky behaviors and problematic outcomes. These results are discussed in the context of how …