Family, Life Course, and Society Commons^™

It Is Time To Stop Using The Washington Group Questions To Measure Disability In U.S. Federal Surveys, Scott D. Landes, Bonnielin K. Swenor, Jean P. Hall

Population Health Research Brief Series

Disabled people are a population with health disparities, so accurate data on disability status is required to fully understand and mitigate these disparities. The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) is the primary survey used to monitor the health of the U.S. population. Currently, the NHIS uses the Washington Group Short Set on Functioning (WGSS) questions to create a disability indicator that can be used to estimate the size of the disabled population and ascertain the severity of a person’s level of functional limitations. This study used data on U.S. adults ages 18+ from the 2010-2018 NHIS to determine how accurately …

Waking Up Before We Die: Aging And Spirituality, Marcelline Hutton

Zea E-Books Collection

In retirement, I have more time for prayer and reflection, to rest in the Lord, and hence to have my spirit renewed. We choose how we interpret our situations. Positive, spiritual aging ideas enhance our sense of well-being. Of course, the loss of loved ones decreases our sense of self-worth at times, but the Spirit can renew us. As Genesis reminds us, God was still working in the lives of Sarah and Abraham in old age, and they can serve as models for us. Indeed, Sarah laughed at the angels and shows us how humor exists even as we age. …

Efficacy Of An Online Mindfulness Training For Adolescents: A Pilot Study, Gus C. Salazar

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Adolescence represents a period in a person’s life where they develop skills and competencies necessary to flourish in the physical, social, emotional, and academic areas of their lives. Additionally, adolescents are facing unprecedented social and mental health challenges. As such, it is important to equip adolescents with tools to help them succeed. Mindfulness is one resource which has been shown to improve symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety, while also improving mindfulness ability and overall well-being. Aims: The purpose of this study was to conduct a pilot study to examine the efficacy of a self-guided, internet-delivered mindfulness training with …

Anthropology & Aging From The Editor-In-Chief, Manonita Ghosh

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

No abstract provided.

How To Communicate Your Estate Plan To Family When Dividing Assets Unequally, Anastasia Meyer

Cornhusker Economics

Provides a guide on how to effectively approach estate planning conversations with family members.

Effectively communicating an estate plan with unequal division of assets can be challenging, but approaching it with honesty, clarity, and empathy can help prevent misunderstandings and family disputes. Open, respectful dialogue—paired with thoughtful explanations and transparent documentation—ensures that your family understands your intentions and feels valued, even when tough decisions are involved.

Ultimately, your goal isn’t just to pass down financial assets, but also to preserve family harmony and, where applicable, secure the future of a viable business. By fostering open communication, you can create a …

Negara Hukum Kesejahteraan Di Batas Pantai: Paradoks Perlindungan Negara Terhadap Masyarakat Pesisir Di Tengah Perubahan Iklim, Aji Baskoro

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

Climate change poses significant challenges to vulnerable coastal communities in Indonesia. As a welfare state, the Indonesian government is expected to safeguard these vulnerable groups through policies that promote their welfare and sustainable livelihoods. However, current policies create a paradox. This article explores this paradox: on the one hand, Indonesia adheres to the welfare state principle, which demands that all government actions be grounded in law, ensuring public safety and welfare. On the other hand, the policies focus on exploiting natural resources, exacerbating the vulnerabilities of coastal communities, particularly in the face of climate change. The article employs a normative …

Towards An Extended Resource Theory Of Marital Power: Parental Education And Household Decision-Making In Rural China, Cheng Cheng, Yu Xie

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Existing literature on the resource theory of marital power has focused on the relative resources of spouses and overlooked the resource contributions of spouses’ extended families. We propose an extended resource theory that considers how the comparative resources of a couple’s natal families are directly associated with marital power, net of the comparative resources of the couple. Using data from the China Panel Family Studies, we examine how the relative education of a couple’s respective parents affects the wife’s decision-making power, net of the relative education of the couple. Results suggest that the higher the wife’s parental education relative to …

Childhood Adversity's Impact On Criminal Behavior, Isobel Marie Avento

Theses and Dissertations

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as abuse, neglect, and family criminal history, have been identified as potential risk factors for negative physical, psychological, and behavioral health outcomes. Emerging literature suggests that ACEs are also among the primary factors leading to delinquency and adult criminal behavior. However, there is limited applied research that provides practitioners with appropriate insight to intervene when ACEs are identified among juvenile delinquents to reduce recidivism risk. This study adds to the existing literature by examining how cumulative ACEs shape criminal behavior of individuals from the onset until its desistance over the span of twenty years. Using …

The Role Of Grandparents In Facilitating Children’S Physical Activity, Michelle I. Jongenelis, Timothy Budden, Hayley Christian, David A. Coall, Ben Jackson, Andrea Nathan, Emma Glassenbury

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Research suggests there is considerable opportunity to improve children’s movement behaviors while they are being cared for by their grandparents. An understanding of the extent to which grandparent practices facilitate children’s engagement in physical activity is critical to the development of health interventions targeting grandparent caregivers. This study examined the activity-related beliefs and practices of grandparents and their association with grandchildren’s engagement in various movement behaviors while in grandparental care. Methods: Australian grandparents (N = 1190; 60% women) who provided regular care to a grandchild aged 3–14 years were recruited via a web panel provider to complete an online …

Does Sport Participation Affect Physical Activity, Perceptions Of Exercise, And Physical Distress Tolerance In Adolescents?, Monica Carolina Martinez

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Today's adolescents are not attaining recommended duration of physical activity (PA), which can impact their physical and mental health. Sport participation may be an avenue to increase PA as well as improve positive perceptions of exercise and distress tolerance during PA. We investigated whether sport participation among adolescents influences their overall PA levels as well as PA covariates. We also evaluated the impact of the number of sports an individual participates in on their positive perceptions of PA. Methods: PA data was recorded using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A) and a waist-worn accelerometer. Participants also completed the …

Providing End-Of-Life Counseling: A Narrative Inquiry, Carol Hecht, Sibyl West

Adultspan Journal

This qualitative study aimed to address the gap in the research related to end-of-life counseling by exploring the experiences of counselors working with clients at end of life. While counseling literature and education are lacking regarding end of life, many counselors will work alongside clients approaching death. The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to better understand the nuanced experiences of counselors providing end-of-life counseling and (b) to explore the supports and preparations helpful for counselors to provide end-of-life counseling. A narrative approach, using the Listening Guide (Gilligan, 2015), was employed to analyze and present the stories of three …

Considerations Of Medicare Telehealth Services With Older Adults, Sonah Kho, Amanda Dediego

Adultspan Journal

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic set in motion a rapid expansion of mental health services offered via telehealth. With this rapid expansion came the need to examine how policy and practice should be shaped in a future where telehealth is considered common in counseling practice. For counselors to understand how to support older adult clients in using telehealth services, they must understand telehealth policy. Following the eligibility of licensed counselors to participate in Medicare, counselors need to stay abreast of regulatory changes regarding restrictions and regulations on use of telehealth for mental and behavioral health services, including video and …

How Do Older Adults Define A Good Death? A Scoping Review, Ellen L. Csikai, Quentin R. Maynard

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

A scoping literature review of the concepts of ‘good death’ and ‘dying well’ among older adults was conducted. The purpose was to identify aspects that older adults specifically considered important in defining a ‘good death’. The search revealed five articles published between 2005 and 2019 that met inclusionary criteria for the review. Primary among the views of the older adults in these studies of a ‘good death’ was the desire to avoid being a burden to families; done so by dying pain-free/peacefully (preferably in sleep) and preparing in advance by involving family in decisions and funeral/estate planning. Family support throughout …

Measuring Families’ Outsourced Household Labor In Country-Context: Accounting For Country-Level Gender And Class-Based Inequality, Jamie Oslawski-Lopez

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

This study investigated the incidence of families’ outsourced household labor overall and for five different tasks in 41 countries using cross-national data from the 2012 International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) Family and Changing Gender Roles Module IV, as well as measures of country-level gender and class-based inequality appended from the United Nations Development Programme, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the World Bank. The findings suggested that outsourcing was more of an exception than a norm, with only about 12 percent of families in the data reporting outsourcing any task. Although there was variation in rates of …

Family Engagement In Public Libraries: Protective Factors And Play, Tammie Benham

Library Research Seminar 8: Telling Library Stories

No abstract provided.

Structural And Functional Correlates Of The Sleep-Suicidal Ideation Association, Jolynn Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Each year, about 800,000 individuals die by suicide globally, affecting millions more. Mitigating suicide risks by targeting modifiable factors such as the sleep disturbances of insomnia and nightmares, which are prevalent and linked to suicidality is important. This study investigated the structural and functional brain differences related to sleep disturbances and suicidality, with the anterior cingulate (caudal and rostral), insula, middle frontal gyrus, posterior cingulate, thalamus, amygdala, and orbitofrontal cortex as seed regions. Participants had no history of suicidal ideation (NSI; n=43) or suicidal ideation within the past two weeks (SI; n=25). Measures for analyses included the Insomnia Severity Index …

Love In The Time Of Dating Apps: Exploring Latino Young Adults’ Experiences Constructing Online Identity, Partner Preferences, And Plans For Happily Ever After, Dakota Z. Ross-Cabrera

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation examines how Latino young adults navigate dating apps; construct their dating app profiles, select partners and develop preferences, and conceptualize their futures. While earlier dating app research explores these themes with quantitative data or with non-Latino samples, the qualitative experiences of Latino young adults have been broadly excluded. Latinos are a large portion of the dating app market, and their relationships, outcomes, and future family formation are integral to understand. Drawing on 60 qualitative interviews with Latino young adult dating app users, I find that app users encounter five stages of dating app usage including constructing and often …

Family Size And Child Migration: Do Daughters Face Greater Trade-Offs Than Sons?, Christine Ho, Yutao Wang, Sharon Xuejing Zuo

Research Collection School Of Economics

We show that, conditional on family size, rural boys and girls are equally likely to migrate with parents in China. Nevertheless, daughters’ migration may still be compromised because they tend to have more siblings in societies with strong son preference, and larger families are more likely to leave all children behind. We find that a one unit increase in sibship size decreases the probability that a daughter migrates by 12.5 percentage points—with stronger effects when migration restrictions are more stringent—but has negligible effects on sons. The results suggest that gender-neutral migration constraints may generate gendered family size trade-offs.

Diverse Pathways To Permanent Childlessness In Singapore: A Latent Class Analysis, Yanwen Wang, Bussarawan Teerawichitchainan, Christine Ho

Research Collection School Of Economics

The proportions of adults reaching midlife without having children have been rising rapidly across the globe, particularly in Asia. However, little is known about the pathways to permanent childlessness within the region’s childless population. This study utilized latent class analysis (LCA) to typologize pathways to childlessness based on dynamic characteristics of multiple life domains (i.e., partnership, education, and occupation) among 489 childless Singaporeans aged 50 and above from a 2022 nationwide survey. Additionally, we utilized multinomial logistic regressions to examine the sociodemographic correlates of pathway profiles and Shannon’s entropy index to assess the heterogeneity in pathways to childlessness among successive …

Infertility’S Impact On Couples’ Functioning, Elizabeth Sanders

Dissertations

Historically, infertility has been a taboo topic of discussion and is often avoided in conversation because of the stigmatization of the diagnosis. According to the World Health Organization (2022), infertility affects 186 million individuals globally. However, there seems to be a gap in the research as it pertains to the psychological well-being and treatment of men and women diagnosed with this condition. While it has become less of a feared topic, it still is not discussed or researched enough, thus further exacerbating the gap in research on mental health and treatment options. The following dissertation completed a critical review of …

Leveraging The Science Of Early Life Predictability To Inform Policies Promoting Child Health, Laura M. Glynn, Sabrina R. Liu, Candice Taylor Lucas, Elysia Poggi Davis

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Addressing the tremendous burden of early-life adversity requires constructive dialogues between scientists and policy makers to improve population health. Whereas dialogues focused on several aspects of early-life adversity have been initiated, discussion of an underrecognized form of adversity that has been observed across multiple contexts and cultures is only now emerging. Here we provide evidence for “why unpredictability?”, including: 1. Evidence that exposures to unpredictability affect child neurodevelopment, with influences that persist into adulthood. 2. The existence of a translational non-human animal model of exposure to early life unpredictability that can be capitalized upon to causally probe neurobiological mechanisms. 3. …

Principal Agency 50 Years After The Lau Decision: Building And Sustaining Bilingual Education Programs For Asian Languages, Kevin M. Wong, Zhongfeng Tian

Education Division Scholarship

This study examined how three champion principals of Asian language dual language bilingual education (DLBE) programs—Cantonese, Korean, and Mandarin—in California have navigated the oscillating language-in-education policies after the Lau decision. We explored principals' various roles through a lens of agency in a social justice leadership framework, specifically considering the opportunities and challenges for agentive leadership from three different phases: foregrounding and engaging, planning and implementing, and evaluating and sustaining. Findings demonstrate that the success of DLBE programs goes beyond the overarching language policies that supposedly enable bilingual education; rather it hinges on the bottom-up commitment, collaboration and resilience of principals, …

Enhancing Co-Occupation Of Play For Families Experiencing Homelessness, Vienna Vargas, Susan Macdermott

Summer 2024 OTD Capstone Symposium

The presentation covers program development for families residing in transitional housing with the opportunity to engage in healthy play activities to promote health and wellness.

How Belief In God Impacts Marital Conflict And Resolution For Women Of Faith, Elizabeth Kay Madsen

Theses and Dissertations

Frequent conflict is a significant relationship risk factor for divorce, but it has also been shown that religion strengthens marriages, specifically in ways that give direction and motivation for couples in resolving marital conflict or other marital hardships. Thus, a study of how successful religious couples resolve conflict is pertinent in helping us better understand how to strengthen marriages and families. Our qualitative study of 113 highly religious women of diverse faiths and races found that women's perceived relationship or connection with God reportedly impacted conflict resolution and coping with marital hardship. Results suggest greater reconciliation and unity with the …

Exploring The Intergenerational Links Between Parent And Child Couple Conflict Styles: Attachment Behaviors And Forgiveness As Moderators, Ashley Forbush

Theses and Dissertations

Conflict is a fundamental element of couple relationships, and the styles of conflict partners use can either enhance or undermine couples' relationship satisfaction and stability. Previous research has found clear links between parent and adult children's conflict strategies, but little is known about how adult children can change their conflict approach from what they observed in their family of origin, especially when they come from homes with dysfunctional forms of conflict. To better understand what factors help children change their style of conflict, the current study used data from 1,077 married couples from the CREATE study. Multinomial logit regression was …

Exploring How Caregiver Multiracial Socialization Is Related To Multiracial Identity Pride, Self-Esteem, And Racial Political Identity In Emerging Adulthood, Jennie Jasperson

Theses and Dissertations

The current study examined how caregiver multiracial socialization processes play a role in multiracial emerging adults' multiracial identity pride self-esteem, and racial political identity. The constructs of caregiver multiracial socialization, multiracial identity pride in emerging adulthood, sense of self-esteem in emerging adulthood, and racial political identity in emerging adulthood were examined among 387 multiracial emerging adults between the ages of 18-29 from across the United States. To examine these relationships, multiple regressions were run to analyze data. The results of this study underscore the significance of understanding the role that socialization processes within multiracial families play in ethnic racial identity …

Defensiveness And Accountability In Couple Relationships: A Constructivist Grounded Theory Analysis, Collin Joshua Wright

Theses and Dissertations

Defensiveness is empirically well documented as a factor in breakup and divorce which have wide ranging consequences for adults and affected children, however, little research exists on what Gottman has called the antidote to defensiveness which is taking an accurate amount of accountability. The purpose of this study was to use qualitative methods to illuminate the microprocesses which take place between partners in interactions regarding accountability and defensiveness. The data was taken from part of a larger project on healthy and unhealthy relationships where semi-structured interviews were conducted from a diverse sample recruited through convenience and theoretical sampling. Constructivist grounded …

Chronic Stress And Well-Being: Testing Mindfulness As A Proposed Method To Decrease Stress In Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Madeline M. Gillies

Theses and Dissertations

Parenting is a demanding role that encompasses many responsibilities and challenges. When a child is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, there are additional demands on the parent's time, energy, and financial resources, which likely leads to increased levels of chronic stress for parents. This dissertation examines the differences in chronic stress levels between parents who have children with autism and parents who do not, using hair cortisol concentration (HCC) as a benchmark. This dissertation also explores reducing parental stress by introducing a mindfulness intervention. Participants (n = 68) were recruited and divided into two groups: Parents of children who have …

Raising Hope: A Preliminary Investigation Of Hope-Strengthening Parenting, Anna Sellers Calley

Theses and Dissertations

Hope Theory defines hope as a cognitive-motivational process of seeking and obtaining goals through agency thinking and pathway building, with substantive connection to many desirable outcomes. While hope is theorized to begin developing early in life, this assumption has never been empirically investigated. This is due to limitations in established hope measurement. There is an additional gap in the research surrounding the role of parents in the development of hope. In this study, I address each of these gaps by utilizing a novel measure of hope in early childhood and running a multiple linear regression model to investigate potential connections …

Consent Behavior, Beliefs In Action: Longitudinal Associations Between Parenting And Adolescent Consent Beliefs And Behaviors, Corinne Archibald

Theses and Dissertations

More research is needed to consider how individual beliefs and socialization agents (i.e., parents) throughout adolescence inform consent-related sexual behaviors. Thus, the current study used an ecological systems approach to the theory of reasoned action (TRA) to examine how parents' consent beliefs were related to adolescents' internal and external consent behaviors, via their beliefs about the importance of consent. Having used longitudinal, nationally sampled data from the Healthy Sexuality Project, this study ran SEM path analysis models on 386 caregiver(s) and adolescents. Results found mothers' and fathers' consent beliefs were positively associated with adolescents' consent beliefs a year later and …