A qualitative study was done to investigate how adult children become caregivers to older parents with functional impairments and what roles their own children adopt in their family's care arrangement. Interviews revealed five influences on children and grandchildren's adoption of caregiver roles: expectations; family rules; religious training;…

According to The Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment, and Adaptation, certain family strengths can promote positive outcomes for children undergoing adverse or stressful circumstances. We proposed that chief among these potential strengths are high quality parent-child relationships. Data from self-report questionnaires from 190…

Drawing on family systems theory, this study examined whether social cohesion with grandparents moderated the intergenerational transmission of depressive symptoms from mothers to their adolescent and young adult children. We analyzed data from 2,280 grandchildren and their mothers who participated in two waves of the National Survey of Families…

Measured family stress, resources, parental coping, and family types in families who had a child with myelomeningocele. Determined the relationships between the family characteristics, the child's health status, and number of active health problems based on level of impairment. Demonstrated an increasing level of family system involvement…

Examines the legal responsibilities of support by stepparents for stepchildren during a remarriage and notes the impact of the divorce on child support and visitation and custody after divorce from the remarriage. Reviews recent state legislation and recent court decisions about stepchildren. (Author/JAC)

Explored methods and goals of parenting presented in a selected group of parent advice books written for Evangelical Christian parents. The books focused on middle childhood and dealt primarily with the nuclear family. The Bible was a major authority base, but behavioral science research was also included. (Author/JAC)

Assessed the effectiveness of trained volunteers in leading parent education programs. Compared volunteer and professionally led groups in an ongoing extension-sponsored parenting program. Urban/rural comparisons were also made. There were no significant differences between volunteer and professionally led groups on child gains or parent…

Examined mothers' perceptions of their competence in managing selected parenting tasks for five stages of parenting: infancy, toddlerhood, preschool, school-age and adolescence. Mothers reported feeling highly competent in most areas of parenting. However, each stage presented unique challenges; mothers of adolescents felt the least comfortable…

Reviews the literature on pregnancy, indicating that there is a predictable and uniform psychological process associated with the experience for both expectant parents. Identifies specific developmental tasks for both expectant mothers and fathers. Suggests that the manner in which prospective parents handle the pregnancy will affect post-partum…

Interviewed women and partners (N=40) separately about changes in parent-child interactions and other family relationships after the mother had returned to college. Parents generally reported that, overall, their children were now receiving more and better parental contact and that there had been qualitative improvement in father-child…

Findings suggest that most fathers experience some anxiety related to this event, and that their anxiety and sadness are related to the level of anxiety felt by their wives, their socioeconomic status, and their confidence that schooling will be a quality experience for their children. (Author)

Reviews selected literature on childhood hyperactivity and suggestions for management of this behavior syndrome. Argues that little consideration has been given to the consequences for parents and siblings of having a hyperactive child present in the family setting. Little attention has been focused on the implementation of management techniques.…

Explores mothers' and fathers' differential treatment (PDT) of their adolescent offspring and examines how siblings' personal qualities were associated with PDT. Sex was associated with parents' differential temporal involvement. Sex-typed personal qualities were related to parents' differential discipline. Both sex and sex-typed personal…

Studied personality change in 34 men across the transition to parenthood to determine if measurable change in men's personalities coincides with adoption of father role, and whether this change is mediated by actual involvement in fathering. Fathers' level of involvement with sons was correlated with decreased self-esteem; level of involvement…

Tested effectiveness of parent training to facilitate adolescent child's decision-making ability. Results showed that trained parents (N=83) showed greater empathic and decision-making skills than did controls (N=39). Notes mothers performed higher on skills than fathers although both acquired skills equally well. Findings suggest implications for…