Family, Life Course, and Society Commons^™

The Impact Of Social Support, School Connectedness, And Community Organization On Academic Achievement Among Black & Hispanic Adolescents In An Urban Low-Income School District, Stephanie M. Compasso

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The disparities in education disproportionately facing Black and Hispanic adolescents, particularly those who attend low-income urban school districts, have far too often been examined through a deficit-based lens, in comparison to White middle-class adolescents. Such comparisons can overlook the cultural strengths of low-income Black and Hispanic adolescents and create a biased interpretation of educational and developmental research. Grounded in the Social Development Model and the Convoy Model of Social Networks, this study examines the interactions of parental support, peer support, school connectedness, and community organization as sources of strength, influencing academic achievement for low-income Black and Hispanic adolescents through a …

"People Think It's Easy Because I Smile, But It's Not Easy" : A Phenomenological Study Of Single Parents/Guardians Raising An Adolescent Who Is Enrolled In Special Education And Engaging In Risk Behaviors, Shaniqua J. Bradley

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Grounded in Resilience Theory (Masten et al., 1990; Masten, 2001; Walsh, 1996; Walsh, 2002; Walsh 2003a, Walsh 2003b) with a specific focus on parental resilience (Gavidia-Payne et al., 2015), this qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of low-income single parent families (FASP) with at least one adolescent aged 11 through 21 who was enrolled in special education classes in school and was engaging in risk behaviors. Two central research questions were addressed. The first focused on the lived experiences of FASP and the second focused on their perspectives on how schools can better support these families. Data for this …

From Social Exclusion To Social Inclusion : A Feminist Action Research Intervention For Low Income Latina Mothers, Diana CedeñO

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Social exclusion and inclusion are concepts that have been researched and debated in European contexts, among middle-class families, and from a quantitative perspective. However, these concepts have not been explored in depth within an American context. The social exclusion debate often centers around its several definitions where no clear consensus has been achieved, which results problematic among researchers. This dissertation had several purposes: 1) To describe how I researched, developed, and delivered a financial intervention literacy program with participating low-income Latina mothers. 2) To provide a critical overview of the social exclusion literature, where a distinction between social exclusion and …

Young Adult Future Outlook In The Context Of Parent Advice, Parent-Young Adult Closeness, And Young Adult Ability Self-Concept, Jennifer A. Pax

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The current study examines the associations between parent advice and parent-young adult closeness, young adult ability self-concept, and young adult future outlook, specifically future worry and future expectancy during transition to adulthood. The data for the current study are from the Transition into Adulthood Supplement (TAS) waves 2009, 2011, and 2013, a supplement to the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID). Findings include that higher mother and father closeness are associated with both higher future expectancy and less future worry. In contrast, mother and father advice are associated with higher young adult future worry, but ability self-concept was identified as …

Tag-Team Back Again : Using Memory As Method To Understand The Intergenerational Transmission Of Egalitarian Parenting In My Black Family, Rebecca M. Swann

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Life course theory’s (Elder, 1998) principles of linked lives and historical time and place can be used to understand how attitudes, values, and behaviors are passed down across generations amid the historical context of Black families in the United States. This dissertation used autoethnography to explore the construction and transmission of egalitarianism, allowing the researcher to be both participant and analyst. Qualitative data consisted of critical reflections and 17 individual oral history interviews with family members across four generations. Procedures outlined in Gilligan’s Listening Guide were used to analyze data, resulting in pronoun-poems for each interviewee and generation. Individual voices …

The Beginning : Exploring Educational Experiences Of Black Boys In State-Funded Preschools, Keisha M. Wint

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Understanding their early educational experiences may provide valuable information for supporting optimal development. However, there is limited research to account for the subjective relational experiences of young children in school. Through a life course perspective, this qualitative study explored the educational experiences of four preschool-aged Black boys attending a state-funded program in an urban district in New Jersey. Using a narrative inquiry approach, their stories captured positive aspects of their relational experiences with their teachers by highlighting the individual, relational, and contextual aspects of child well-being. Their voices offer unique considerations for supporting Black boys in preschool and will enrich …

Korean American Immigrant Mothers’ Child Launching Experiences : Understanding Of Parenting And Mother-Child Relationships In Midlife, Soo-Bin You

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Guided by the theoretical frameworks of family development and family systems theories from the life course perspective, the present study explored how Korean American mothers make sense of their child launching experiences in immigration context, and describe the family dynamics around parenting and parent-child relationship during the life transition. Focusing on the developmental task of child launching, thus, this study examined the topic that has received scarce attention in scholarly literature – culturally specific experiences of parenting and parent-child relationship from the perspective of Korean immigrant mothers in midlife.

To delve into the lived experiences of Korean immigrant mothers, this …

A Study Of Psychological Sense Of Community As A Mediator Between Supportive Social Systems, School Belongingness, And Outcome Behaviors Among Urban High School Students Of Color, David T. Lardier, Ijeoma Opara, Carrie Bergeson, Andriana Herrera, Pauline Garcia-Reid, Robert Reid

Department of Family Science and Human Development Scholarship and Creative Works

Psychological sense of community (SOC) has been examined minimally among the youth of color, and as a mediating variable, as well as construct implicated in promoting wellness. Using data from a sample of 401 students of color (M age = 16.55, standard deviation = 1.31; 54.7% female; 57% Hispanic/Latina[o]) from an underserved northeastern US urban community, we examined the mediating relationship of psychological SOC between social support, participation in youth-based community programs, and outcomes including school belongingness, risk behaviors such as substance use and violent behavior, and psychological symptoms, including depression. Results indicated that access to social supports and youth-based …

Exploring The Role Of Social Support, Ethnic Identity, And Psychological Empowerment On Drug Use And Sexual Risk Behavior Among Black & Hispanic Female Adolescents, Ijeoma Opara

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Adolescent females of color, particularly Black and Hispanic adolescents, are often viewed as a homogenous group with adolescent boys of color, thus ignoring unique gender-racial specific risk and protective factors to drug use and HIV/AIDS that may be present. Such an absence can lead to flawed outcomes in HIV, STIs (sexually transmitted infections), and substance abuse prevention work that may continue to marginalize girls of color. Using empowerment theory and intersectionality as a framework, this study examines the extent to which ethnic identity, social support, and psychological empowerment is on drug use and sexual risk behavior. The study uses a …

Suicide In Younger And Older Adults : A Comparison Of Two Theoretical Models For Suicide, John F. Gunn Iii

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Suicide is a major public health concern claiming over 47,000 lives annually in the United States. Despite efforts at prevention, the rates of suicide have continued to climb. Due to this, research that can shed light on the potential causes of suicidal thoughts is of great importance. The present manuscript outlines three studies exploring two theoretical frameworks for suicide: (1) Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicide (IPTS) and (2) Social Pain Model (SPM). Findings from Study 1 partially support the role of low self-worth and low social support in increasing risk for reporting suicidal thoughts in a racially diverse sample of African …

A Post-Intentional Phenomenological Exploration Of A Sense Of Safety In Three-Generation Low-Income Families, Kaitlin Brigid Mulcahy

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Despite a wide body of literature that suggests safety as critical to human development and individual well-being (Ainsworth, Blehar, Waters, & Wall, 1978; Bowlby, 1969; Fosha, Siegel & Solomon, 2009; Marvin, Cooper, Hoffman & Powell, 2002; Porges, 2011; Tronick, 2007), a comprehensive review of the literature found a paucity of research that addresses the phenomenon of a sense of safety within family units. This study sought to fill this gap through an entirely strengths-based design that made use of post-intentional phenomenological methods and arts-based analysis. The research question that guided this study was: How is the phenomenon of a sense …

“It All Starts With The Parents”: A Qualitative Study On Protective Factors For Drug-Use Prevention Among Black And Hispanic Girls, Ijeoma Opara, David T. Lardier, Robert Reid, Pauline Garcia-Reid

Department of Family Science and Human Development Scholarship and Creative Works

Using intersectionality theory as a theoretical framework, this qualitative study uncovered the protective factors present among black and Hispanic adolescent girls living in an urban, underresourced neighborhood in the Northeastern United States. The sample used in this study includes eight focus groups that consisted of adolescent females only (N = 57). Female participants were sampled through six youth-serving summer programs throughout the target city. The female participants were between 11 and 17 years of age, with 73% self-identifying as black (n = 45) and 26% (n = 12) as Hispanic. Thematic analysis using an intersectional approach was used to analyze …

Sexual Negotiation Skills And Risky Behavior On Sexual Partnerships, Hiv Knowledge, And Risk Perception Among Urban Youth Of Colora Latent Class Analysis, David T. Lardier, Ijeoma Opara, Andriana Herrera, Melissa Henry, Pauline Garcia-Reid, Robert Reid

Department of Family Science and Human Development Scholarship and Creative Works

Adolescents of color in urban communities are at high risk for contracting HIV, unlikely to have access to HIV testing services, or any other form of screening services. Using latent class analysis among a sample of African American/Black (48.1%) and Hispanic/Latina(o) (42%) youth (N = 668; Mage = 16.30; 51% female), this study examined the association cluster group membership, based on sexual negotiation skills and risk behavior, had on HIV knowledge, perception of risk, and the number of sexual partners. Five distinct cluster groups emerged, with significant heterogeneity observed between cluster groups on select dependent variables. A larger proportion of …

Local Governance Of Immigrant Incorporation: How City-Based Organizational Fields Shape The Cases Of Undocumented Youth In New York City And Paris, Stephen P. Ruszczyk

Department of Sociology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

City-based organizations and governments play an important role in incorporating undocumented immigrant youth. This article investigates how localities sociopolitically incorporate these immigrants by examining the governance constellations and institutional logics of the organizational field that manages undocumented youth. Comparing sets of municipal and civil society organizations in different national settings, I use the two cases of New York City and Paris to ask how the ‘city-based organizational field of immigrant incorporation’ shapes citizenship experiences of undocumented youth. Data come from multi-level longitudinal ethnography over 8 years with two dozen undocumented youth and with organizations in each city as well as …

Immigration Experiences : Maintenance And Promotion Of Cultural Values Among Asian Indian Women And Their Children, Harshi Shah

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Guided by the principles of grounded theory, this qualitative study aimed to explore the Asian Indian immigrant women’s experiences in maintaining and promoting the Indian cultural values for themselves and their children, living in the United States. Components of acculturation theory were also utilized as a lens to interpret the data. Thirteen first generation Asian Indian mothers were recruited through a combination of snowball and theoretical sampling techniques. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with each participant. Four themes emerged from the data analysis: (a) Maintaining core Indian values in daily life, (b) Maintaining transnational connections, (c) Preference for Indian enclaves, …

The Culture Of Nondisclosure Of Sexual Abuse, Veronica R. Barrios

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The existing understanding of the culture of nondisclosure of sexual abuse is almost entirely absent. It lacks a theoretical framework, an empirical exploration into how it occurs in family relationships, and little is known about disclosure barriers in practice. This dissertation will address these three areas through three separate but related papers. First, the researcher will present a new cohesive theoretical framework that integrates and expands on existing theories for nondisclosure and that incorporates how individual decision-making is nested within social and familial contexts. Second, the researcher will report on an exploratory research study about sibling relationships regarding sexual abuse …

Exploring Places Of Street Drug Dealing In A Downtown Area In Brazil: An Analysis Of The Reliability Of Google Street View In International Criminological Research, Elenice De Souza Oliveira, Ko-Hsin Hsu

Department of Justice Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This study assesses the reliability of Google Street View (GSV) in auditing environmental features that help create hotbeds of drug dealing in Belo Horizonte, one of Brazil’s largest cities. Based on concepts of “crime generators” and “crime enablers,” a set of 40 items were selected using arrest data related to drug activities for the period between 2007 and 2011. These items served to develop a GSV data collection instrument used to observe features of 135 street segments that were identified as drug dealing hot spots in downtown Belo Horizonte. The study employs an intra-class correlation (ICC) statistics as a measure …

Understanding The Influence Of Sexual Risk Taking, Ethnic Identity, And Family And Peer Support On School Importance Among Hispanic Adolescents, Pauline Garcia-Reid, David T. Lardier, Robert Reid, Ijeoma Opara

Department of Family Science and Human Development Scholarship and Creative Works

Despite the broader academic gains experienced by Hispanic students, who represent the largest minority group in the United States, they remain the least educated of all major ethnic groups, and our understanding of their academic needs and strengths remains woefully inadequate. Therefore, this study examined the risk (e.g., sexual risk taking) and protective factors (e.g., family support, supportive peer networks, and ethnic identity) associated with school importance among Hispanic teens (N = 587) residing in a high-risk, resource poor urban community and the ways in which these relationships vary between adolescent males (46.5%) and adolescent females (53.5%). Schools that are …

Race, The Condition Of Neo-Liberalism, Vikash Singh

Department of Sociology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This article addresses the social and historical relation between Chicago School neo-liberalism and contemporary racism, and its connections with the formations of racism in classical liberalism and its colonial character. I show the pragmatic and discursive operations of neo-racism in the context of this shift to a neo-liberal discourse, drawing particularly on Michel Foucault’s seminars, Society Must be Defended, and Birth of Bio-politics. Insofar as “race” cannot be understood as a discrete category outside its social, economic, moral, and political embeddedness in liberalism, I argue that methodological individualism and expectations of high-specialization constrain the theorization of race in U.S. scholarship. …

Substance Use Among Urban Adolescents Of Color : Exploring The Effects Of Ethnic Identity, Psychological Empowerment, And Race, David T. Lardier Jr.

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Advances in the substance use literature have occurred over the last three decades. However, the research examining drug and alcohol prevention-interventions among urban youth has occurred from a deficit lens, and practitioners have not fully considered how race or ethnicity impact interventions. There is a need in the research to understand the processes and outcomes of substance use among urban youth, particularly those processes that focus on strengths and empowerment among racial-ethnic minority groups. This study investigates the mediating relationship of ethnic identity between community-based perceptions and psychological empowerment and substance use; the mediating impact of psychological empowerment; and the …

Reflections Of Young Adults On The Loss Of A Parent In Childhood, Eva Apelian

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The purpose of this qualitative study is to provide an early exploration of the reflections of young adults on the experiences of parental loss in adolescence. This study aims to understand what the impact of relationships with immediate family, extended family, and peers have on bereaved young adults, and how these relationships changed after the death of their parent. Qualitative methods were used to explore this area of research. Eleven participants were recruited through snowball sampling and personal connections, from Montreal and New Jersey. Using a phenomenological design, the participants were asked 14 in-depth questions using prompts and follow up …

Taking On The Immigration Paradox : Hispanic Parental Involvement, Ailiceth Espinal

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The purpose of this study was to assess Hispanic/Latino parental involvement techniques and their predictors. Further, the study examined whether a relationship between the immigration paradox and parental involvement exists. Parental involvement was defined in both traditional forms (home- and school- based) and in additional four culturally specific forms. The survey participants consisted of 114 mothers and 19 fathers with school-aged children (ages 5-18 and grades pre-kindergarten to 12th). Multiple regression analyses were conducted to determine which variables affected each of six parental involvement techniques. Results reflected many of the previous findings in Hispanic/Latino education literature. For example, when parents …

Parental Perceptions Of Including Children In Family Member's End Of Life Care And At The Funeral Services, Yuki Takahashi

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Guided by social cognitive behavioral theory, this study aimed to explore the parental perceptions of including children in family members’ end of life care and at the funeral services by examining the potential predicting factors such as anxiety, depressive symptoms, stress, self-efficacy, self-esteem, attitude toward death, children’s age, social support, and personal relationships. A total of 120 (58 non-Japanese and 62 Japanese) parents participated in the study by completing either hard copy or online surveys. Data were analyzed by performing t-tests, correlations, and multiple regression. Results indicated that the majority of participants would definitely include their children in the partners’ …

Work-Family Dynamics Among Working Mothers In The United States, M. Hassan Raza

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The current research consists of three studies evaluating the body of work–family conflict literature and examining work–family balance and work–family conflict experiences of working mothers in the United States. The first study addressed the research question: To what extent are voices of marginalized individuals and families recognized in work– family conflict studies? Content analysis was conducted of sixty-seven empirical articles containing 245 hypotheses/research questions in work–family conflict studies (1980– 2016). A conceptual framework, “The Ecology of Justice,” was developed to analyze data. Results indicated work–family conflict studies were less inclusive and less representative of underprivileged working individuals and families, but …

"It Was Just Ugly And Uncomfortable" : A Phenomenological Study Of Intergenerational Transmission Among Adult Children Of Divorce, Carly A. Nacer

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Grounded in the intergenerational transmission of divorce theory, this qualitative phenomenological study explored how lived experiences of relational communication among female Adult Children of Divorce (ACOD) might reflect those of their parents who divorced during the adult child’s adolescence years. Ten in-depth Skype interviews were conducted with female ACOD at a large northeastern university. All participants shared negative communication behaviors that they perceived their parents used before the divorce. They described their experiences as “ugly and uncomfortable.” The findings suggested that ACOD’s exposure to conflict influenced the communication behaviors of their romantic relationships. Specifically, ACOD have had limited positive communication …

Breastfeeding Matters : Infant Feeding Decision Making And Mothering Sense Of Competence Among Korean American Mothers, Soo-Bin You

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The current study examined the influence of ecological variables in breastfeeding role expectations on mothers’ sense of competence in infant care, and the mediating effect of breastfeeding experience of mothers on the relationship between breastfeeding role expectations and mothering sense of competence. Thirty nine Korean American mothers who have babies under 18 months old participated in the survey asking about various ecological factors in breastfeeding role expectation, their actual breastfeeding experience, and mothering sense of competence. Findings suggested that each ecological variable (i.e. mother self, baby, family, and community) influencing Korean American mothers’ breastfeeding role expectation was differently related to …

Correlates Of Depressive Symptoms In Adult Survivors Of Childhood Cancer, Melissa Miller

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Purpose: The impact of cancer in childhood among adult survivors needs to be studied to see how being diagnosed with cancer in childhood is associated with mental health in adulthood. Specifically this study will examine depressive symptoms. If there are negative effects such as depressive symptoms, it is important to know what may help reduce them such as support and counseling. Methods: This is a quantitative study where 49 adult survivors of childhood cancer participated in an online survey. They were recruited from forums for cancer survivors and with snowball sampling.

Results: Through correlation analyses and ANCOVA, it was found …

The Relationship Between Adolescent Sense Of Purpose, Poster Quality, And Intentional Self-Regulation, Lauren Nazareth Gama

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This paper investigates the relationship between sense of purpose, the quality of work related to a youth character education (CE) program, and intentional self-regulation (ISR) for adolescents participating in the Inspire>Aspire: Global Citizens in the Making (I>A) Values Poster program. Relational developmental systems (RDS) meta-theory posits that individuals have the capacity to shape their own development and that positive development can be reached when individual assets are aligned with assets in the environment (Lerner, Lerner, von Eye, Bowers, & Lewin-Bizan, 2011). This agentic control over development is often referred to as ISR, which can be operationalized by the …

College Students' Attitude Toward Single Mothers In Poverty, Rocco Placenti

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Poverty in the United States is a huge problem, and it becomes bigger each year, as millions of single mothers are the ones who are suffering the most. The debate on how to solve poverty has continued for a very long time. It has been fixed temporarily, but not completely remedied.

Literature: Attitudes are forecasters of how and why individuals take action in specific ways. Some people believe in social attributions (e.g., societal responsibility); others have confidence in individualistic attributions (e.g., a single person’s responsibility); and others rely on fatalistic attributions (e.g., luck). Individuals’ attitudes towards single mothers in poverty …

Hooking Up, Romantic Relationship Self-Efficacy, And Attitudes Toward Marriage, Jacqueline Bible

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This quantitative study sought to describe general and penetrative hookup behavior among college attending emerging adults aged 18-22, and to understand the relationships between hookup behavior, romantic relationship self-efficacy, and intent to marry. Cognitive behavioral theory viewed through a feminist lens grounded the study. The convenience sample consisted of 38 respondents (32 females, 6 males) from a midsized northeastern university. Respondents were asked to answer an online survey that asked about hookup behaviors, partner types, emotional experiences, feelings of romantic relationship self-efficacy, and intent to marry. Frequencies revealed that respondents prefer to engage in hookups with partners they know and …