Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Family And Center Childcare Providers: Correlates Among Mathematics Anxiety/Attitudes Toward Mathematics, Teacher Self-Efficacy, And Other Factors, Shawnee M. Hendershot

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Previous experiences with mathematics, particularly negative ones, can influence an individual’s attitudes toward mathematics. Children’s first experiences with mathematics are often in their childcare settings. Elementary teachers appear to have more mathematics anxiety than other professionals, but the level of mathematics anxiety among childcare providers is not known. The presence of mathematics anxiety correlates with lower teacher self-efficacy or the teacher’s belief of how effective he/she is in influencing a student’s learning. Grounded in Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy, this study examined the level of mathematics anxiety and teacher self-efficacy among 122 licensed Utah childcare providers in center and family home …

Doctoral Dissertation Research In Marriage And Family Therapy (Mft): A Content Analysis, Clinton L. Broadbent

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Over the past 60 years, the field of marriage and family therapy (MFT) has experienced tremendous growth due largely to many charismatic pioneers in the field. These pioneers performed various research studies but lacked a focus on quality empirical research. Over the past 20 years, many MFT researchers have started to perform these studies, which in turn, have pointed the field in a positive direction in terms of research excellence. Doctoral dissertations offer unique and valuable insights into the current state of research as a field as well as give us a better idea of how we are doing at …

Family-Owned Businesses: Determinants Of Business Success And Profitability, Jeffrey S. Wallace

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine many factors associated with family-owned businesses that lead to business success and profitability. The panel data used in this study came from the 1997 and 2000 waves of the National Family Business Study (NFBS). Many independent variables from the 1997 wave (e.g., age, gender, managerial activities, business size, home-based, business problems) were tested to predict business success and profitability (dependent variables), which were variables from the 2000 wave.

Some of the descriptive analyses indicated that, compared to female managers, male managers perceived less business success, participated more in managerial activities, managed older …

Language Brokering In Latino Families: Direct Observations Of Brokering Patterns, Parent-Child Interactions, And Relationship Quality, Kee J. E. Straits

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

With the growing percentage of immigrant families in the USA, language transition is a common immigrant experience and can occur rapidly from generation to generation within a family. Child language brokering appears to occur within minority language families as one way of negotiating language and cultural differences; however, the phenomenon of children translating or mediating language interactions for parents has previously been hypothesized to contribute to negative outcomes for children, such as role-reversals and parentification, emotional distancing and lack of communication, increased parent-child conflict, and increased internalizing/externalizing disorders. The current study used direct observations of 60 Spanish-speaking parent-child dyads (30 …

The Analysis Of An Integrated Model Of Therapy Using Structural And Gottman Method Approaches: A Case Study, Taylor Cameron Herrin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to investigate the usefulness of an integrated model of therapy for one therapist. Qualitative and quantitative data were gathered from three family dyads. Ten therapy sessions were coded and analyzed to evaluate fidelity to the treatment model. Several themes emerged from the data that provided a foundation for analysis and clarification of the integrated model. The results of this research are organized into four research categories: fidelity to the integrated model, clients and change, how one session or case informs another, and how therapeutic decisions were made. Results indicate that the therapist maintained fidelity …

Employers' Perceptions Of Utah State University's Marriage And Family Therapy Program Requirements, Blake D. Altom

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of program requirements on employability of Utah State University's (USU) marriage and family therapy (MFT) program graduates, the training and employability of USU MFT graduates, and whether or not there is anything that sets these graduates apart from graduates of other MFT programs. Nineteen employers participated in this study. Twelve of these employers were known to have hired USU MFT graduates as the graduates' first employment post-graduation, and seven of the participants were considered potential employers: those who could hire MFTs in the future. Questions were asked to these participants …

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Knowledge And Practices: A Survey Of Pediatricians And Family Practice Physicians, Kara L. Spielmans

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common childhood disorder often treated by pediatricians or family practice physicians. ADHD knowledge held by treating physicians may be an important predictor in patient outcomes. This study examined ADHD knowledge and common assessment and treatment practices of pediatricians and family practice physicians via a national survey sent to members of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians. Mailings included the Knowledge of Attention Deficit Disorders Scale--Revised (KADDS-R) and a demographic/practice questionnaire. Although both physician types reported utilizing assessment and treatment methods consistent with current ADHD practice guidelines, findings suggested that …

Premarital Preparation And Marital Satisfaction: What Utah Individuals Are Doing To Prepare For Marriage And How Premarital Preparation Can Enhance Marital Satisfaction, Fay L. Belnap Foster

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This is a systematic representative sample study of newlyweds designed to investigate aspects of participation in marriage preparation activities as well as determine what effect participation in activities had on marital satisfaction. A retrospective survey instrument was utilized which included the Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale.

Statistical analysis revealed that the majority of individuals in Utah prepare for marriage by visiting with parents or relatives, visiting with other married couples, and talking with religious leaders, and considered these activities to be helpful in their preparation. The smaller percentage of individuals who participated in more formal preparation activities also considered these activities …

Examining The Relationship Between Connection Rituals And Marital Satisfaction: A Correlational Study, Heather Holmgren Brown

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine the types, frequency, and meaningfulness of connection rituals and the relationship between these items and marital satisfaction. Past research has shown that rituals correlate with marital satisfaction. Three research questions guided the study: (1) What connection rituals do couples participate in and with what frequency? (2) How meaningful are the connection rituals to the husband or wife? and (3) Are some connection rituals more strongly associated to marital satisfaction?

The research questions were tested with data from eighty couples who completed a survey designed specifically for this study. The top three reported …

Welfare Status, Gender, And The Utilization Of Marital Counseling Services, Courtney A. Wyatt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine how welfare status, gender, and the interaction between welfare status and gender relate to the utilization of counseling services related to marriage (i.e., "marital help-seeking"). This study was a secondary analysis of the Utah Marriage Survey data set from 2003. Two samples were utilized in this study, and generated a total sample of I ,316 participants. The first sample was made up of I, 173 randomly selected Utah households, identified through a random-digit dialing sampling technique. The second sample was obtained from a random selection of current Temporary Assistance for Needy Families …

An Analysis Of Mortgage Default Clients And Mortgage Default Counseling At The Utah State University Family Life Center, Leslie E. Green

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to create a profile of the mortgage default clientele at the Utah State University Family Life Center, Housing and Financial Counseling (FLC HFC) and to examine how clientele were utilizing the counseling services. Demographic and mortgage variables were used to create the profile of clientele and examine the utilization of services. Specific variables key to the study included: loan type, time of delinquency when clients sought counseling, how clients were referred to the FLC HFC, and the point in counseling when an outcome was achieved (keeping the home or losing the home to foreclosure). …

Burnout In Marriage And Family Therapists, Cory A. Eddington

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Among the profession of marriage and family therapy, the goal is to help those individuals, couples, and families that are struggling in life. While working with these clients there is the possibility that the therapists may become stressed themselves and experience burnout. The following is a descriptive study of 30 marriage and family therapists (MFTs) in the state of Utah. The demographic variables of clinical experience, sex, case load, setting of practice, education level, and marital status were studied as to their relation to the experience of burnout. Statistically significant findings demonstrated that the variables of sex and caseload were …

Couples In Great Marriages With A Traditional Structure And Egalitarian Relationship, Pamela Kandior Morrill

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study researched the possibility of an egalitarian relationship coexisting with a traditional role-structured marriage. Qualitative methods were used to gather data from a national sample using a 31-page questionnaire. Out of the larger Great Marriage Research Study of 130 respondents (65 couples), 14 couples fit the criteria for this study in that they had a traditional structure to their marriage and both felt their was a balance of power between them. Their stories were analyzed to discover what their marriages were like and how they talked about and operationalized an egalitarian relationship. Findings from this research indicated that it …

Fathers' Perceptions Of Relationships With Young Adolescent Children: Implications For Family Therapy, Tyler D. Patrick

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study used family systems theory as a lens to examine fathers' relationships with young adolescent children as it relates to the areas of time spent together, communication between generations, and paternal satisfaction in raising an early adolescent child. Similarities and differences of scores on the Parent Success Indicator were examined for 191 Caucasian American (n=110) and African American (n=81) fathers of 10- to 14-year-old-children. Results showed that increased amounts of time that fathers report spending with children was significantly associated with paternal satisfaction, communication between generations, fathers' use of time, parental frustration, and parental teaching. …

Marital Commitment And Religiosity In A Sample Of Adults In Utah, Sharon S. Harris

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined the relationship of three types of martial commitment and religiosity factors in a random sample of I ,316 Utah adults. Participants were surveyed to assess attitudes of marriage, divorce, and marriage education. A lack of commitment was cited by 83% of divorced adults as a major factor for their divorce. The level of commitment to spouse, commitment to marriage, and constraint commitment was determined by extrapolating items from the 2003 Utah Marriage Movement Statewide Baseline Survey. Religiosity included measures of the frequency of church attendance, church affiliation, and religious values. Regression analyses that included socio-demographics showed the …

The Relationship Between Attachment, Love Styles, And Marital Quality In A Sample Of Married Members Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints, Jeannine D. Nielson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Research on attachment suggests that attachment styles do exist in adulthood and appear to be an evolutionary product of infancy. This research was particularly focused on examining the relationship between attachment styles at various stages of the marital life cycle and the relationship of these styles of attachment to styles of love and marital quality among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS).

Adoptees' Knowledge About And Contact With Birth Parents And Their Adjustment In Adolescence And Young Adulthood, Kyung-Eun Park

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study described adoptees' knowledge of and contact with birth parents in adolescence and young adulthood, and analyzed the relationship between adoptees' knowledge of and contact with birth parents and the adoptees' adjustment in young adulthood. Data for the current study came from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). In total, 487 adoptees were identified for this study in Wave I (1995) and Wave Ill (2 002). Descriptive and multivariate analyses using logistic regression were conducted.

Adoptees were more likely to be aware of their birth mothers than of their birth fathers and the percentage differences between …

Ethnic Identity And Migrant Youth, Amanda K. Morgan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study sought to examine the relationship between ethnic identity and the grade and gender of the subjects. Changes in ethnic identity over time were also analyzed. Students attending grades four through eight of the Nyssa Migrant School summer program participated in this study. One hundred twenty-four participants completed the pretest, eighty-nine completed the posttest, with a total of seventy-nine completing both the pretest and posttest. Students responded to the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure, which examined the subcategories of belonging and exploration to comprise the overall ethnic identity level.

Scores were compared by grade and by gender at pretest and …

Building A Bridge Between Graduation And Marriage And Family Therapy Core Competency, Todd Graves

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Most mental health professional organizations are establishing core competencies standards, which are the basic skills that practitioners are expected to possess. The core competency movement originated from concerns about the abilities of clinicians to provide competent service to clients. The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) recently established the core competencies that each marriage and family therapist 's skill s should be measured by and that may lead to changes in education and training.

This research examined the perspectives of AAMFT-approved supervisors to determine how they see their trainees' performances compared to the core competency standards. Comparisons were …

Relationship Between Infant Reactivity And Maternal Emotional Well-Being During The Early Postpartum Period At Two Points In Time, Karen Udy Hansen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined the relationship between infants' reactivity and mothers' emotionality during the early postpartum period, specifically during the first days of life and again by three months of age. The Clinical Neonatal Behavioral Scale (CLNBAS) was used to evaluate the infants. The mothers were evaluated at the same time by responding to questions on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS).

Forty-six mother-infant dyads were recruited from the Logan Regional Hospital childbirth classes for first-time parents. Minimum criteria for participation were that the mother must be married, be at least 18 years of age, have at least a high school …

A Profile And Analysis Of Repeat Bankruptcy Petitioners In The District Of Utah 1984-2004, Bonny C. Llewellyn

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to describe the incidence of repeat filers in Utah and estimate the extent that repeat filers may be abusing the bankruptcy system. This study sought to develop a profile of repeat filers. Demographic and financial variables were examined to determine their association with abuser/nonabuser status. In this study, abuse of bankruptcy was characterized only by the timing and number of filings over 20 years. Debtors with three filings in a 2-year period or less and debtors with four or more total filings were classified as abusers. Nonabusers were defined as debtors who filed only …

The Relationship Between Parental Attitudes And Behaviors And Their Adult Children's Attitudes Toward Marriage, Divorce, And Marital Counseling, Shawnery L. Mathis

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research study consisted of eighty-six pairs (young adult and his or her parent) of participants recruited from freshman and sophomore classes in two Northern Utah Universities. The parents ages ranged from 36-80 and the young adult children's ages ranged from 16-25. This research project examined the participants' demographics, marital satisfaction (of the parents), attitudes toward marriage, attitudes toward divorce, and attitudes toward marital counseling.

Three paired t tests were used to determine whether attitudes toward marriage, divorce, and marital counseling were the same for young adult children and their parents. Multiple regression equations were used to determine what effects …

Predictors Of 1997 Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Completion And Dismissal Rates In Utah, David A. Evans

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was two-fold. The first intention was to identify a group of debtor characteristics that predicted discharge among Chapter 13 bankruptcy filers in the district of Utah from 1997. The second objective was to use that same set of characteristics to predict the likelihood of dismissal at three critical stages of the bankruptcy process. Those stages were identified, first, as the period before the 341 hearing or meeting of creditors (n = 115 or 12.7%), second, before confirmation of the debtor's repayment plan (n = 267 or 29.4%), third, the period after confirmation of …

Borrower- And Mortgage-Related Factors Associated With Foreclosure, Amber C. Gallagher

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to develop a conceptual model that could be used to aid in identifying which household factors contribute to an increased likelihood of foreclosure. More specifically, what borrower-related and mortgage-related factors are correlated with home foreclosure? This was achieved by studying a sample from an inventory of active and foreclosed Federal Housing Administration (FHA) homes in the state of Utah. The sample consisted of 179 cases. Characteristics of interest were extracted from data and divided into two categories: borrower-related factors and mortgage-related factors.

Bivariate, and multivariate analyses were conducted with the borrower- and mortgage-related factors. …

Multiple Mentors And Family Involvement In Mentoring At-Risk Youth, Christine W. Woodbury

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined whether higher family involvement plus additional mentoring relationships had a greater positive effect than a one-on-one relationship with a mentor and low family involvement. The study demonstrated, in this sample, that having two mentors does not have a greater impact on academic motivation, social competency, family unity, self-esteem, and deviance than having one mentor. It was also shown, in this sample, that higher family involvement does not have a greater impact on academic motivation, social competency, family unity, self-esteem, and deviance than lower family involvement. Although additional studies are needed to fully understand the impacts of mentoring …

Parents' Knowledge And Attitudes About Immunization In India, Anne George

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Childhood immunization is acknowledged as being a crucial health intervention for children. Immunization rates of children may vary depending on their parents' knowledge and attitudes about the issue. The focus of this study is on parents' knowledge and attitudes about immunization, and employs Urie Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory. A questionnaire was administered to 233 parents in India to explore the issues of parental immunization knowledge and attitudes. Correlates of parental knowledge and attitudes that were explored included gender, education, respondents' immunization status, and children's immunization status. Sources of parental knowledge about immunization were also examined. Overall, parents in this sample …

The Ability To Taste 6-N-Propylthiouracil (Prop) And Its Relation To A Parent's Emotional Investment In The Infant, Deann Jones

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Research on parenting is increasingly being studied from a biological perspective. An understanding of the biological mechanisms leading to individual differences in maternal behaviors can help direct research toward more focused intervention resulting in closer mother-infant attachment relationships, and therefore, positive child outcomes. This research was a preliminary study that tested mothers' ability to taste a harmless chemical, 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP), in relation to their responses to a questionnaire about the emotional investment they experience towards their infant. Although research attempting to relate these two variables together has not been carried out before, individual studies show potential links between these two. …

The Role Of Deception In Mediating Relationship Involvement Of Couples Interacting On The Internet: Stages Of Intimate Formation, Dustin W. Edgerton

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A vast majority of individuals involve themselves in an intimate relationship at one time or another. This study looks at a new, but increasing, forum of relationship development, that of the Internet. More specifically, this study addresses various stages of Internet relationship development, and deception individual 's use during the process of forming and maintaining these relationships.

This research gathered quantitative and qualitative information from 134 individuals involved in online relationships. The quantitative analyses provided only a few significant findings and it is suggested that the current methods of measuring deception are inadequate and do not appear to represent the …

Intermediate Trainee Perspectives Of Family Therapy Skills, Margo Benson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Marriage and family therapy training involves the development of therapy skills that lead to effective treatment, and the family therapy literature recognizes the importance of skill development in training. The training literature dealing with specific skills most often refers to beginning-level skills and obtains data largely from supervisors and trainers. Intermediate-level skills appear to be overlooked and no apparent attention is given from the perspective of trainees.

This research examined the perspectives of trainees concerning family therapy skills at the intermediate level. Intermediate trainee perspectives were compared with the perspectives of their supervisors. Comparisons were also made with perspectives of …

Maternal Involvement In Preschoolers' Sexuality Education: A Comparison Of Single And Married Mothers, Ginger S. Sandweg

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined the responses to a sexuality education questionnaire completed by 30 single mothers and 43 married mothers with preschool-aged children. Chi-square analyses were used to examine differences between married mothers and single mothers; mothers of males and mothers of females; and married mothers of males, married mothers of females, single mothers of males and single mothers of females. Age at which their preschool children first exhibited behaviors, frequency of that behavior, and comfort level of mothers' responses to those behaviors were addressed for each topic: male-female differences, reproduction and birth, privacy or modesty, taboo or obscene words, genital …