Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Family, Life Course, and Society Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 7 of 7

Full-Text Articles in Family, Life Course, and Society

Gay Parenthood And The Revolution Of The Modern Family: An Examination Of The Unique Barriers Confronting Gay Adoptive Parents, Nicholas Arntsen Nov 2012

Gay Parenthood And The Revolution Of The Modern Family: An Examination Of The Unique Barriers Confronting Gay Adoptive Parents, Nicholas Arntsen

Nicholas Benedict Arntsen

Abstract: In recent decades, the structure of the American family has been revolutionized to incorporate families of diverse and unconventional compositions. Gay and lesbian couples have undoubtedly played a crucial role in this revolution by establishing families through the tool of adoption. Eleven adoptive parents from the state of Connecticut were interviewed to better conceptualize the unique barriers gay couples encounter in the process adoption. Both the scholarly research and the interview data illustrate that although gay couples face enormous legal barriers, the majority of their hardship comes through social interactions. As a result, the cultural myths and legal restrictions …


The Female Fear / Book Review, Emily Adler Apr 2012

The Female Fear / Book Review, Emily Adler

Emily S. Adler

These four books written by feminists with both academic and activist credentials contribute to our understanding of how violence against women forms an integral aspect of male dominance. They challenge the myths of home as haven and of men as protectors of women.


Victimology, Emily Adler Apr 2012

Victimology, Emily Adler

Emily S. Adler

Until recently, the family sociology literature has been characterized by a conspicuous absence of research on marital violence. Efforts to fill this gap are evidenced by a growing body of material in the area. It is in this context that Victimology's Special Issue on Spouse Abuse and Domestic Violence makes a worthwhile contribution to the effort to expose the problem and propose solutions.


Open Adoption And Adolescence, Deborah Siegel Mar 2012

Open Adoption And Adolescence, Deborah Siegel

Deborah H Siegel

In open adoptions, birth and adoptive families exchange identifying information and have contact. Although most adoptions today include some form of openness, much of the public remains wary of this. The purpose of this study was to explore, longitudinally, adoptive parents' perceptions of their children's open adoptions. This article reports the findings of tape-recorded interviews with 31 adoptive parents who were first interviewed when their children were infants and toddlers, again 7 years later, and a third time when their children were adolescents. The study found adoptive parents were committed to maintaining contact with the birth family even when discomforts …


Open Adoption Of Infants, Deborah Siegel Mar 2012

Open Adoption Of Infants, Deborah Siegel

Deborah H Siegel

As the frequency of open adoptions of infants increases, furious debate continues between those who argue that open adoption is a grave mistake and those who assert that it is a long-overdue innovation. This ankle defines open adoption, summarizes the open adoption controversy, and presents a qualitative descriptive study of adoptive parents' reactions to the recent open adoptions of their infants. Findings indicate overwhelmingly positive feelings about open adoption and some issues and concerns unique to the open adoption experience. The ankle concludes that social workers involved in adoptions should move from their traditional stance in directing and defining the …


Open Adoption Of Infants, Deborah Siegel Mar 2012

Open Adoption Of Infants, Deborah Siegel

Deborah H Siegel

Adoptions today increasingly include contact between adoptive and birth families. What do these "open adoptions" look like? How do the participants feel about them? This article, based on part of a longitudinal study that first examined adoptive parents' perceptions of their infants' open adoptions seven years ago, explores the parents' reactions now that their children are school age. This qualitative descriptive research revealed changes in the openness in the adoptions over time and identified four dimensions along which open adoptions vary. Findings showed parents' enthusiasm for the openness in their adoptions, regardless of the type and extent of openness. Implications …


Maintaining Friendships In Early Stage Dementia: Factors To Consider, Phyllis Harris Dec 2011

Maintaining Friendships In Early Stage Dementia: Factors To Consider, Phyllis Harris

Phyllis Braudy Harris

Friendships and the importance of social connectiveness play a critical role in aging well, regardless of gender, race, social class, or impairment. Yet, dementia takes its toll on social relationships, and many friends withdraw and ‘disappear’, because they can no longer bear to see the changes that are taking place in their diagnosed friend. The dementia care literature documents this abandonment; however, this study examines the opposite occurrence. In order to understand more clearly the role of long-term friendships and how such friendships remain and continue, despite the diagnosis of dementia, this qualitative study examines in depth eight people in …