Family, Life Course, and Society Commons^™

“Great Job Cleaning Your Plate Today!” Determinants Of Child-Care Providers’ Use Of Controlling Feeding Practices: An Exploratory Examination, Dipti A. Dev, Brent A. Mcbride, Katherine E. Speirs, Kimberly A. Blitch, Natalie A. Williams

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Background National early childhood obesity prevention policies recommend that child-care providers avoid controlling feeding practices (CFP) (e.g., pressure-to-eat, food as reward, and praising children for cleaning their plates) with children to prevent unhealthy child eating behaviors and childhood obesity. However, evidence suggests that providers frequently use CFP during mealtimes.

Objective Using the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (2011) benchmarks for nutrition in child care as a framework, researchers assessed child-care providers’ perspectives regarding their use of mealtime CFP with young children (aged 2 to 5 years).

Design Using a qualitative design, individual, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted with providers until …

Cumulative Contextual Risk At Birth In Relation To Adolescent Substance Use, Conduct Problems, And Risky Sex: General And Specific Predictive Associations In A Finnish Birth Cohort, W. Alex Mason, Stacy-Ann A. January, Mary B. Chmelka, Gilbert R. Parra, Jukka Savolainen, Jouko Miettunen, Marjo-Riitta Järvelin, Anja Taanila, Irma Moilanen

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Background—Research indicates that risk factors cluster in the most vulnerable youth, increasing their susceptibility for adverse developmental outcomes. However, most studies of cumulative risk are cross-sectional or short-term longitudinal, and have been based on data from the United States or the United Kingdom. Using data from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 Study (NFBC1986), we examined cumulative contextual risk (CCR) at birth as a predictor of adolescent substance use and co-occurring conduct problems and risky sex to determine the degree to which CCR predicts specific outcomes over-and-above its effect on general problem behavior, while testing for moderation of associations …

Pregnancy And Intimate Partner Violence In Canada: A Comparison Of Victims Who Were And Were Not Abused During Pregnancy, Tamara L. Taillieu, Douglas A. Brownridge, Kimberly A. Tyler, Ko Ling Chan, Agnes Tiwari, Susy C. Santos

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to examine risk factors, indicators of severity, and differences in post-violence health effects for victims who experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy compared to victims who experienced IPV outside the pregnancy period. Data were from Statistics Canada’s 2009 General Social Survey. Among IPV victims, 10.5% experienced physical and/or sexual violence during pregnancy. Victims who had experienced violence during pregnancy were more likely than victims who were not abused during pregnancy to experience both less severe and more severe forms of violence. In fully adjusted models, younger age, separated or divorced marital status, as …

Child And Parent Report Of Parenting As Predictors Of Substance Use And Suspensions From School, Charles B. Fleming, W. Alex Mason, Ronald W. Thompson, Kevin P. Haggerty, Thomas Jai. Gross

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

This study examined how child and parent reports of parenting were related to early adolescent substance use and school suspensions. Data were from two time points six months apart on 321 families with an eighth grade student attending one of five schools in the Pacific Northwest. Child- and parent-report measures of family management practices were moderately correlated (r = .29). Child report, but not parent report, of more positive family management practices uniquely predicted a lower likelihood of adolescent substance use. Also, discrepancies between child and parent report of parenting predicted substance use, with child positive report of family …

Into The Gap: A Mixed Methods Study Of Acculturation, Stress, And Refugee Family Functioning, Kieu Anh T. Do

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Every day, new waves of refugees result from increasing social, political and environmental instabilities around the world. Numerous studies have detailed the various stressors and adjustment issues that refugees face when resettled in a new host society. The majority of these studies focus on individual-level variables and not on the family as a whole. Thus, more studies are needed to understand how refugee families adjust in the resettlement context in order to promote positive outcomes. Studies that have examined family-level functioning often focus on how acculturative differences increase stress in refugee families, contributing to higher levels of familial tension and …

Growing Up Before Their Time: The Early Adultification Experiences Of Homeless Young People, Rachel M. Schmitz, Kimberly A. Tyler

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

This paper explores the experiences of early adultification among 40 homeless youth aged 19 to 21. Findings from semistructured, face-to-face interviews revealed the experiences of early adultification among homeless young people. We used both initial and focused coding and the final qualitative themes emerged naturally from the data. Early adultification encompassed the following processes, which were closely tied to prominent descriptions of family conflict and caregiver neglect: premature caregiving, early independence, and parenthood. Premature caregiving burdened participants with familial responsibility such as caring for younger siblings prior to their leaving home. Early independence occurred when young people provided for their …

“Why So Serious?” Threat, Authoritarianism, And Depictions Of Crime, Law, And Order In Batman Films, Brandon Bosch

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Drawing on research on authoritarianism, this study analyzes the relationship between levels of threat in society and representations of crime, law, and order in mass media, with a particular emphasis on the superhero genre. Although the superhero genre is viewed as an important site of mediated images of crime and law enforcement, cultural criminologists have been relatively quiet about this film genre. In addressing this omission, I analyze authoritarian themes (with an emphasis on crime, law, and order) in the Batman film franchise across different periods of threat. My qualitative content analysis finds that authoritarianism themes of fear and need …

Individual Variation In Fathers’ Testosterone Reactivity To Infant Distress Predicts Parenting Behaviors With Their 1-Year-Old Infants, Patty X. Kuo, Ekjyot K. Saini, Elizabeth Thomason, Oliver C. Schultheiss, Richard Gonzalez, Brenda L. Volling

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Positive father involvement is associated with positive child outcomes. There is great variation in fathers’ involvement and fathering behaviors, and men’s testosterone (T) has been proposed as a potential biological contributor to paternal involvement. Previous studies investigating testosterone changes in response to father-infant interactions or exposure to infant cues are unclear as to whether individual variation in T is predictive of fathering behavior. We show that individual variation in fathers’ T reactivity to their infants during a challenging laboratory paradigm (Strange Situation) uniquely predicted fathers’ positive parenting behaviors during a subsequent father-infant interaction, in addition to other psychosocial determinants of …

On The Street And On Campus: A Comparison Of Life Course Trajectories Among Homeless And College Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender And Queer Young Adults, Rachel M. Schmitz

Department of Sociology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study examines the life course experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) homeless young adults and LGBTQ college students. Though both of these groups have in common their age (i.e. young adults) and LGBTQ identity, college students generally have more resources and are expected to fare better into later life compared to homeless young adults. Despite these disparities, all LGBTQ young people are likely at greater risk for negative health outcomes and social issues due to their status as sexual and/or gender minorities. Little research, however, has simultaneously examined these two groups, and how their life course …

Review Of Buttoned Up: Clothing, Conformity, And White-Collar Masculinity, By Erynn Masi De Casanova, Trenton M. Haltom

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Erynn Masi de Casanova’s Buttoned Up: Clothing, Conformity, and White-Collar Masculinity (2015) draws on white-collar men’s discussion of their fashion choices to shed light on how masculinity, work-type, class, race, and geographic region shape their styles ofdress. Each chapter highlights a piece of what goes on in men’s heads as they dress for work: workplace dress codes (both official and unofficial), family inspiration, for whom they dress, and the pitfalls of being too fashionable or not trendy enough. In addition to what to wear, Casanova also explores what not to wear in a white-collar professional work setting. The current dearth …

Tiers 2 & 3 Intervention: Threat Assessment, Ana M. Cathcart, Elisabeth J. Kane, Reece L. Peterson

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Conclusion

Understanding why students behave aggressively and violently can be a challenge. Even more challenging is trying to prevent aggressive and violent student behavior. Although serious violent acts by students, such as a shooting, are rare, it is still vital to be able to assess, evaluate, and deter potential threats in schools. Researchers suggest that schools create policies and procedures to evaluate and assess threats and violent student behavior. Also, researchers recommend that schools utilize the threat assessment approach to help facilitate the process of evaluating and assessing threats (Cornell & Sheras, 2006). Even though there has not been extensive …

Tier 1 Intervention: School Climate And Culture, Elisabeth J. Kane, Natalie Hoff, Allison Heifner, Shir Palmon, Reece L. Peterson

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Conclusion

A vast amount of research supports the idea that positive school climate has many benefits for school systems. The positive benefits affect students, staff, families, and the local community. Benefits range from improved academic achievement, personal and mental health, and relationships; as well as reduced bullying, victimization, suspension, drop out, and teacher turnover. Appropriate assessment and intervention procedures are key to reducing the gap between research and practice. Although school climate enhancement is not a simple or quick task, it is a crucial piece of school improvement and can have profound effects on student wellbeing and academic success.

Tier …

Parent Training To Reduce Problem Behaviors Over The Transition To High School: Tests Of Indirect Effects Through Improved Emotion Regulation Skills, W. Alex Mason, Stacy-Ann A. January, Charles B. Fleming, Ronald W. Thompson, Gilbert R. Parra, Kevin P. Haggerty, James J. Snyder

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Adolescent problem behaviors are costly for individuals and society. Promoting the self-regulatory functioning of youth may help prevent the development of such behaviors. Parent-training and family intervention programs have been shown to improve child and adolescent self-regulation. This study helps fill gaps in knowledge by testing for indirect effects of the Common Sense Parenting® (CSP) program on reduced substance use, conduct problems, and school suspensions through previously identified short-term improvements in parents’ reports of their children’s emotion regulation skills. Over two cohorts, 321 low income families of 8^th graders were enrolled and randomly assigned to either the standard CSP …

Does Fertility-Specific Distress Vary By Race/Ethnicity Among A Probability Sample Of Women In The United States?, Arthur L. Greil, Julia Mcquillan, Delida Sanchez

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

This study explored whether fertility-specific distress varied by race/ethnicity among a nationally representative sample of US women. Participants were 2363 White (n = 1266), Black (n = 569), Hispanic (n = 453), and Asian (n = 51) women who participated in the National Survey of Fertility Barriers. Participants were given the Fertility-Specific Distress Scale and assessed for strength of pregnancy intent, primary versus secondary infertility, and socioeconomic hardship. Black women reported lower levels of fertility-specific distress than White women, but these were fully mediated by the strength of pregnancy intentions. Primary versus secondary infertility and economic hardship were not associated …

Prevalence Of Marijuana And Other Substance Use Before And After Washington State’S Change From Legal Medical Marijuana To Legal Medical And Non-Medical Marijuana: Cohort Comparisons In A Sample Of Adolescents, W. Alex Mason, Charles B. Fleming, Jay L. Ringle, Koren Hanson, Thomas J. Gross, Kevin P. Haggerty

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Background—A growing number of states have new legislation extending prior legalization of medical marijuana by allowing non-medical marijuana use for adults. The potential influence of this change in legislation on adolescent marijuana and other substance use (e.g., spillover or substitution effects) is uncertain. We capitalize on an ongoing study to explore the prevalence of marijuana and other substance use in two cohorts of adolescents who experienced the non-medical marijuana law change in Washington State at different ages.

Method—Participants were 8^th graders enrolled in targeted Tacoma, Washington public schools and recruited in two consecutive annual cohorts. The analysis …

Attachment Predicts College Students’ Knowledge, Attitudes, And Skills For Working With Infants, Toddlers, And Families, Claire D. Vallotton, Julia C. Torquati, Jean Ispa, Rachel Chazan-Cohen, Jennifer Henk, Maria Fusaro, Carla A. Peterson, Lori A. Roggman, Ann M. Stacks, Gina Cook, Holly Brophy-Herb

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Research Findings:Adults’ attitudes about attachment relationships are central to how they perceive and respond to children. However, little is known about how attachment styles are related to teachers’ attitudes toward and interactions with infants and toddlers. From a survey of 207 students taking early childhood (EC) courses at 4 U.S. universities, we report relations among students’ attachment styles and their (a) career goals, (b) attitudes about caring for and educating infants and young children, and (c) interaction skills for responding in developmentally supportive ways. Overall, attachment security was positively associated with career goals focused on working with younger children, …

Bicultural Competence And The Latino 2.5 Generation: The Acculturative Advantages And Challenges Of Having One Foreign-Born And One U.S.-Born Parent, Jessica M. Dennis, Ana Laura Fonseca, Guadalupe Gutierrez Ramirez, Jillian Shen, Sibella Salazar

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Faculty Publications

The 2.5 generation refers to individuals who have one parent born in the United States and one born in another country. The presence of both native-born and foreign-born parents has the potential to enhance bicultural adaptation. Across two studies with Latino young adults, we examine the extent to which the 2.5 generation is distinct from members of other generations with regard to cultural orientation, acculturative stress, and parent ethnic socialization. Results suggest that the 2.5-generation individuals report greater native cultural orientation, ethnic identity, and parental socialization compared with third-generation individuals, along with greater American orientation than first-generation individuals. The 2.5 …

Romantic Relationship Experiences From Late Adolescence To Young Adulthood: The Role Of Older Siblings In Mexican-Origin Families, Lorey A. Wheeler, Sarah E. Killoren, Shawn D. Whiteman, Kimberly A. Updegraff, Susan M. Mchale, Adriana J. Umana-Taylor

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Faculty Publications

Youth's experiences with romantic relationships during adolescence and young adulthood have far reaching implications for future relationships, health, and well-being; yet, although scholars have examined potential peer and parent influences, we know little about the role of siblings in youth's romantic relationships. Accordingly, this study examined the prospective longitudinal links between Mexican-origin older and younger siblings' romantic relationship experiences and variation by sibling structural and relationship characteristics (i.e., sibling age and gender similarity, younger siblings' modeling) and cultural values (i.e., younger siblings' familism values). Data from 246 Mexican-origin families with older (M = 20.65 years; SD = 1.57; 50% …

Family Influences On Mexican American Adolescents’ Romantic Relationships: Moderation By Gender And Culture, Fanita A. Tyrell, Lorey A. Wheeler, Nancy A. Gonzales, Larry Dumka, Roger Millsap

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Faculty Publications

This study examined prospective associations between the family context and adolescents’ romantic relationships as moderated by adolescents’ gender and culture among Mexican American families (N = 189). Adolescents at Time 1 (early adolescence) were on average 12.29 years of age (SD = .50) and 54% female. Mothers and fathers reported on family structure and dynamics during early adolescence, and youth reported on their romantic relationship involvement and quality during middle and late adolescence. Results from path analyses indicated that family structure and dynamics (supportive parenting, consistent discipline, parent-adolescent, and interparental conflict) were associated with adolescents’ romantic involvement and …

Ethnic And Gender Differences In Strategies Used By Adolescents When Attempting To Quit Or Reduce Smoking, Ali M. Yurasek, Leslie A. Robinson, Gilbert R. Parra

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Few adolescent smoking cessation programs have been able to match the success rate found in adult programs. The current study identified smoking cessation strategies used by adolescents and whether strategies differed as a function of ethnic, gender, or individual smoking-level. Participants were 136 high school students who made an attempt to quit or reduce their smoking. Logistic regressions revealed that individuals making an actual quit attempt and African American adolescents used cessation strategies presumed to be more effective. Adolescents are more likely to use informal cessation methods and may need to be provided with more information on effective quit strategies.

Unaccompanied Children Migration, Ronald Alvarado

Nebraska College Preparatory Academy: Senior Capstone Projects

The way people view immigration has changed over the past few years. Children fleeing to the United States without their parents has been a huge issue lately. Unaccompanied children are kids younger than 18 who are sent alone, in this case to the United States. These kids migrate because of the extreme violence that occurs in their home countries.

Statistics prove that children in their home countries are exposed to much violence. Most are coming from the northern triangle of Central America. I believe they should have more rights here in the United States, and be treated just the same …

Paradigm Shift: Sex Education, Mary Grayson-Pattar

Nebraska College Preparatory Academy: Senior Capstone Projects

With LGBTQ+ topics added to sex education at a young age, kids will learn that these topics are normal and cause a significant drop in bullying. Although some might say adding this would worsen the issue, it would teach students and faculty to be more accepting of these topics, and more accepting of LGBTQ+ people. Schools in Lincoln Public Schools and Omaha Public Schools have both been challenged with this topic recently, and reacted to them in different ways. Overall, the main issue of this topic is the current paradigm of our peers.

Inclusive sex education in classrooms is a …

Urban Congolese Refugees In Kenya: The Contingencies Of Coping And Resilience In A Context Marked By Structural Vulnerability, Julie A. Tippens

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

The global increase in refugee migration to urban areas creates challenges pertaining to the promotion of refugee health, broadly conceived. Despite considerable attention to trauma and forced migration, there is relatively little focus on how refugees cope with stressful situations, and on the determinants that facilitate and undermine resilience. This article examines how urban Congolese refugees in Kenya promote psychosocial well-being in the context of structural vulnerability. This article is based on interviews (N = 55) and ethnographic participant observation with Congolese refugees over a period of 8 months in Nairobi in 2014. Primary stressors related to scarcity of material …

Law And Lgbq-Parent Families, Emily Kazyak, Brandi Woodell

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

This paper addresses how the law affects LGBQ-parent families. We first outline the legal landscape that LGBQ parents face in the US, underscoring that it varies drastically by state and creates inequity for families. Reviewing existing social science research, we then address how the law affects three processes for LGBQ people: desiring parenthood, becoming a parent, and experiencing parent- hood. Our review indicates that the law affects if and how LGBQ people become parents. LGBQ people consider the law as they make decisions about whether to pursue adoption, donor insemination, or surrogacy and often view the latter two pathways as …

Functional Status In Older Women Diagnosed With Pelvic Organ Prolapse, Tatiana V.D. Sanses, Nicholas K. Schiltz, Bruna M. Couri, Sangeeta T. Mahajan, Holly E. Richter, David F. Warner, Jack Guralnik, Siran M. Koroukian

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Background—Functional status plays an important role in the comprehensive characterization of older adults. Functional limitations are associated with an increased risk of adverse treatment outcomes, but there is limited data on the prevalence of functional limitations in older women with pelvic floor disorders.

Objective—The aim of the study was to describe the prevalence of functional limitations based on health status in older women with pelvic organ prolapse.

Study Design—This pooled, cross-sectional study utilized data from the linked Health and Retirement Study and Medicare files between 1992 and 2008. The analysis included 890 women ≥65 years with pelvic organ prolapse. We …

A Cautionary Tale: Examining The Interplay Of Culturally Specific Risk And Resilience Factors In Indigenous Communities, Melissa L. Walls, Les B. Whitbeck, Brian E. Armenta

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Efforts to build empirical evidence for the protective effects of Indigenous cultural factors on psychological health have yielded mixed findings. We examine the interplay of previously hypothesized culturally relevant risk (discrimination, historical loss) and protective (spiritual activities) factors among Indigenous people. The sample includes 569 Indigenous adolescents (mean age = 17.23, SD = 0.88; 51.0% girls) and 563 Indigenous adult caregivers (mean age = 44.66, SD = 9.18; 77.4% women). Our central finding was that indigenous spirituality was associated with poorer psychological outcomes across several domains (depressive symptoms, anger, anxiety, somatization, and interpersonal difficulties), but observed effects were attenuated once …

Variation In Attitudes Toward Being A Mother By Race/Ethnicity And Education Among Women In The United States, Veronica Tichenor, Julia Mcquillan, Arthur L. Greil, Andrew V. Bedrous, Amy Clark, Karina M. Shreffler

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Do differences in experiences of motherhood (e.g., number of children, age at first child, and relationship type) by race/ethnicity and social class mean that attitudes toward motherhood also vary by social location? We examine attitudes toward being a mother among black, Hispanic, Asian, and white women of higher and lower socioeconomic status (SES, as measured by education). Results using the National Survey of Fertility Barriers (N = 4,796) indicate that, despite fertility differences, attitudes toward being a mother differ little between groups. White and Asian women have higher positive attitudes toward being a mother than black and Hispanic women. Only …

A New Way To Estimate The Potential Unmet Need For Infertility Services Among Women In The United States, Arthur L. Greil, Kathleen S. Slauson-Blevins, Stacy Tiemeyer, Julia Mcquillan, Karina M. Shreffler

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Background: Fewer than 50% of women who meet the medical/behavioral criteria for infertility receive medical services. Estimating the number of women who both meet the medical/behavioral criteria for infertility and who have pro-conception attitudes will allow for better estimates of the potential need and unmet need for infertility services in the United States.

Methods: The National Survey of Fertility Barriers was administered by telephone to a probability sample of 4,712 women in the United States. The sample for this analysis was 292 women who reported an experience of infertility within 3 years of the time of the interview. …

Masculinities In Cyberspace: An Analysis Of Portrayals Of Manhood In Men’S Rights Activist Websites, Rachel M. Schmitz, Emily Kazyak

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

A growth in cultural ideologies concerned with men and masculinities in contemporary American society has recently emerged. Men’s rights activist (MRA) groups embody a movement emphasizing the crisis of masculinity. Despite men’s privileged societal status, MRAs seek to establish resources for men to utilize in elevating their perceived subordinated position in society in relation to women and social minorities. Little research has systematically investigated MRAs on the Internet, which is rapidly becoming a primary source of information and social connectedness for people. Through a content analysis of the 12 most prominent MRA websites, we explore the various strategies used by …

Multi-Level Risk And Protective Factors For Substance Use Among Zambian Street Youth, Kimberly A. Tyler, Ray Handema, Rachel M. Schmitz, Francis Phiri, Kourtney S. Kuyper, Charles Wood

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Background: High rates of substance use have been reported among youth in Zambia. This is particularly concerning given that substance use is one of the biggest risk factors placing young people at risk for HIV infection. Objectives: The purpose of the current study is to examine how multilevel risk and protective factors (i.e., community, family, peers, individual) influence alcohol and marijuana use. Methods: A total of 250 street youth in Lusaka, Zambia, were interviewed in the summer of 2014 about their alcohol and marijuana use and reasons for usage. Data were analyzed using descriptive and multivariate methods. Results …