Journal of Family Issues recent issues

Special Reviewers for Volume 30

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:17:40 PDT

An Exploratory Study of the Nature of Family Resilience in Families Affected by Parental Alcohol Abuse

Coyle, J. P., Nochajski, T., Maguin, E., Safyer, A., DeWit, D., Macdonald, S. — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:17:40 PDT

Resilient families are able to adapt to adversities, but the nature of family resilience is not well understood. This study examines patterns of family functioning that may protect families from the negative impact of alcohol abuse. Naturally occurring patterns of family functioning are identified and associations between these patterns and parenting, current parental alcohol use, recent family stressful events, supportive relationships outside the family, and demographic characteristics are assessed. Cross-sectional data are analyzed from racially diverse American and Canadian families (N = 674) who have at least one parent with an alcohol abuse problem and a child between ages 9 and 12 years. Cluster analyses derived from family functioning indicators are used to identify naturally occurring family patterns. Multivariate assessments evaluated relationships between family functioning clusters and potentially influencing factors. The study results reveal a continuum of family functioning associated with parenting, child’s perception of teacher caring, and race.

Perception of Adequacy of Resources With a Turkish Sample

Copur, Z., Safak, S., Terzioglu, G., Dodder, R. A. — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:17:40 PDT

This study examines the validity and reliability of the Perceptions of Adequacy of Resources inventory—developed for American society—in a sample from Turkey and determines the correlations between perceived adequacy of resources and selected socioeconomic and family composition characteristics in Turkey. Participants of this study consist of employees and students at the central campus of the Hacettepe University in Ankara, Turkey. The sample size is determined using a random sampling method (n = 500). Analysis of variance tests show significant differences (.05) in perceptions of adequacy of resources according to income, education, marital status, number of children, and family life stage. On the other hand, gender, age, family type, and length of marriage are not found to be significant. In addition, regression analysis shows that the demographic variables of income, education, and marital status significantly predicted perceptions of adequacy of resources.

The Empty Nest Syndrome in Midlife Families: A Multimethod Exploration of Parental Gender Differences and Cultural Dynamics

Mitchell, B. A., Lovegreen, L. D. — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:17:40 PDT

This study explores parental health and well-being in relation to "empty nest" transitions. Focus is placed on the purported empty nest syndrome (i.e., self-reported experiences of depression and emotional distress when children leave home) and variations by parental gender and cultural background. This study is primarily based on in-depth telephone interviews conducted in 2006 and 2007 with a subsample (n = 316) of parents from four cultural groups (British, Chinese, Southern European, and Indo/East Indian) living in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia. A mixed-methodological approach is used whereby both quantitative and qualitative strategies are combined. Findings reveal that overall only a minority of parents report having experienced the empty nest syndrome. However, cultural background and other sociodemographic and relational processes are found to influence the likelihood of reporting this condition. With increasing cultural diversity in North American society, these results have the potential to shed light on a significant life course transition.

Youths' Caretaking of Their Adolescent Sisters' Children: Results From Two Longitudinal Studies

East, P. L., Weisner, T. S., Slonim, A. — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:17:40 PDT

The extent and experiences of youths’ caretaking of their adolescent sisters’ children have been assessed in two longitudinal studies. The first study examines the caretaking patterns of 132 Latino and African American youth during middle and late adolescence. The second study involves 110 Latino youth whose teenage sister has recently given birth. Youth are studied at 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum. In both studies, girls provide more hours of care than boys, and in Study 1, girls’ hours of care significantly increase with age whereas boys’ hours of caretaking decrease. Girls provide more care when their sisters are older and when their mothers provide many hours of care, whereas boys provide less care when their mothers provide more care and when they have many siblings. Results of both studies reveal age, gender, and across-time differences in the extent of care, type of caretaking activities, and experiences in providing care.

Contact Between Grandchildren and Their Grandparents in Early Adulthood

Geurts, T., Poortman, A.-R., van Tilburg, T., Dykstra, P. A. — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:17:40 PDT

Using cross-sectional data from the Netherlands Kinship Panel Study (N = 1,231), this study examines the relationship between grandchildren and their grandparents across early adulthood. Age is used as a proxy for change during the grandchild’s life course and the influence of major life course characteristics is examined. Results indicate that the majority of young adult grandchildren have contact with their grandparents, but the average frequency is low. Age differences in contact frequency suggest a decline in grandparent—grandchild contact across early adulthood. Multilevel analyses show that grandchildren’s employment status, partner, and parenthood status do not affect contact frequency with grandparents. Rather, the results point at the importance of the parental home for facilitating grandparent—grandchild contact as age-related differences are accounted for by whether grandchildren left the parental home. Furthermore, most of the variance in grandparent—grandchild contact is attributable to differences between family of the mother’s and family of the father’s side.

Primary and Secondary Socialization Impacts on Support for Same-Sex Marriage After Legalization in the Netherlands

Lubbers, M., Jaspers, E., Ultee, W. — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:17:40 PDT

Two years after the legalization of same-sex marriages in the Netherlands, 65% of the Dutch population largely or completely disagrees with the statement "gay marriage should be abolished." This article shows, by way of multinomial logistic regression analysis of survey data, which socializing agents influence one’s attitude toward same-sex marriage after its legalization (FNB2003; N = 2,124). Parents’ attitudes toward homosexuality during one’s youth strongly affect one’s attitude toward same-sex marriage. The strongest determinant is socialization within religious institutions. Religious practice provides an explanation of the differences between members of denominations opposing same-sex marriage. A lower educational level enhances one’s probability of being neutral on abolishing gay marriage. Finally, men and people from non-Western origin are especially likely to oppose same-sex marriage.

Whose Time Is It?: The Effect of Employment and Work/Family Stress on Children's Housework

Gager, C. T., Sanchez, L. A., Demaris, A. — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:23:33 PDT

Children’s time use—and specifically the time they spend on household chores—is an important arena for understanding social change. However, few studies accurately depict the multiple factors influencing children’s household labor, including parent’s and children’s available time and parent’s levels of work/family stress. We address these gaps by exploring how parents’ and children’s time use and perceived stress constrains time for housework. We employ data on 3,560 households from a national survey of children’s time use. We find several factors elevate children’s housework hours, including parents’ work/family stress, fathers’ work hours, having more siblings, being female, and being an older child. Contrary to the time availability principle, children’s curricular and extracurricular activities and hours spent in paid labor are associated with more housework. A follow-up analysis suggests that this is not accounted for by an unmeasured family attribute promoting children’s achievement across multiple spheres of activity.

Parental Psychological Control, Psychological Autonomy, and Acceptance as Predictors of Self-Esteem in Latino Adolescents

Bean, R. A., Northrup, J. C. — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:23:33 PDT

This study examines several key parenting variables (psychological control, psychological autonomy, and acceptance) in predicting self-esteem among Latino adolescents using structural equation modeling analyses. Nested models are tested and parental acceptance variables are omitted from the model and group gender comparisons are examined. Two variables, maternal psychological autonomy and paternal psychological control, are found to be significant predictors of Latino boys’ self-esteem, whereas psychological autonomy and control (paternal and maternal) are all significantly related to self-esteem among Latino girls. Cultural factors that may have influenced these results are discussed.

Parenting Self-Efficacy and Social Support in Japan and the United States

Suzuki, S., Holloway, S. D., Yamamoto, Y., Mindnich, J. D. — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:23:33 PDT

To understand the conditions that give rise to parenting self-efficacy in Japan and the United States, the authors have investigated its relation to the perceptions of support available to mothers of children in the final year of preschool (N = 235; n = 121 in United States, n = 114 in Japan). Hierarchical regression analysis indicates that in both countries, women who experience higher parenting self-efficacy report more positive childhood memories of parental support and greater satisfaction with husband’s and friends’ support. Mothers in the United States are significantly more self-efficacious than are mothers in Japan, even after controlling for the effects of the support predictors. A follow-up mediational analysis reveals that Japanese women’s lower levels of parenting self-efficacy are partially attributable to their low satisfaction with husband’s support.

Postdivorce Family Stability and Changes in Adolescents' Academic Performance: A Growth-Curve Model

Yongmin Sun, , Yuanzhang Li, — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:23:33 PDT

Three waves of panel data from 7,897 adolescents in the National Education Longitudinal Studies have been used to investigate whether a stabilized postdivorce family environment benefits adolescents’ academic performance trajectories. The analyses indicate that compared with peers who grow up in stable postdivorce families, children of divorce who experience additional family transitions during late adolescence make less progress in their math and social studies performance over time. Furthermore, family resource differences before and during late adolescence either partially or completely account for the less positive performance trajectories in two types of divorced families. Finally, daughters in unstable postdivorce families appear to make less academic progress over time than sons. The study illustrates the importance of incorporating both postdivorce family transitions and repeatedly measured child outcomes in the investigation of divorce effects.

Challenges and Strategies to Maintaining Emotional Health: Qualitative Perspectives of Mexican Immigrant Mothers

Ornelas, I. J., Perreira, K. M., Beeber, L., Maxwell, L. — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:23:33 PDT

Mexican immigrant mothers face many challenges that put them at increased risk for poor mental health. To understand the factors that lead to the development of depressive symptoms among Mexican immigrant mothers, we analyzed data from 20 qualitative, semistructured interviews. Participants included low-income, Mexican-born mothers of young children living in North Carolina. Most of the mothers in our study reported experiencing depressive symptoms after becoming parents. They expressed their symptoms as feelings of sadness, depression, loneliness, shame, and anxiety. Economic stressors contributing to their emotional health included financial obligations, work, and child care. Social stressors included family separation, social isolation, and discrimination. To cope with these stressors, mothers relied heavily on social networks and community resources. Our results suggest that a combination of both risk and resiliency factors shape the emotional health of Mexican immigrant mothers.

The Implications of Grandparent Coresidence for Economic Hardship Among Children in Mother-Only Families

Mutchler, J. E., Baker, L. A. — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:23:33 PDT

Estimates suggest that more than 6 million children live with at least one grandparent. Despite evidence establishing the growing prevalence of this arrangement, limited research has focused on estimating the implications of coresidence for the economic well-being of grandchildren. Using data from the 2001 panel of the Survey of Income and Program Participation, this article examines levels of financial hardship among a particularly vulnerable group of children—those living in mother-only families. Findings suggest that children living in mother-only families that include a grandparent are substantially less likely to be living below or near the poverty level, compared with children living in mother-only families without a grandparent present. The financial security of children in these three-generation households is enhanced through significant economic contributions of the grandparents and from household receipt of a wide range of financial resources, including means-tested cash transfers and other income such as Social Security.

Just Doing What They Gotta Do: Single Black Custodial Fathers Coping With the Stresses and Reaping the Rewards of Parenting

Coles, R. L. — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:19:09 PDT

For single African American custodial fathers, parenting stress is exacerbated by the cultural expectation that Black fathers are "normally" absent and by the clustering of stresses that Black men are more likely to encounter. This sample of African American fathers have used a repertoire of problem-focused and cognitive coping strategies, including some that are frequently considered "culturally specific." Twenty Black single custodial fathers are interviewed and their narratives are analyzed for concepts and thematic categories related to stress and coping. Their narratives indicate that certain strategies are avoided because (a) these strategies are not available to them and (b) they desire to present themselves as independent and competent, thus resisting stereotypes and building a sense of efficacy.

Parenting Efficacy and the Early School Adjustment of Poor and Near-Poor Black Children

Jackson, A. P., Choi, J.-K., Bentler, P. M. — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:19:09 PDT

This short-term longitudinal study investigates whether maternal educational attainment, maternal employment status, and family income affect African American children’s behavioral and cognitive functioning over time through their impacts on mothers’ psychological functioning and parenting efficacy in a sample of 100 poor and near-poor single Black mothers and their 3- and 4-year-old focal children. Results indicate that education, working status, and earnings display statistically significant, negative, indirect relations with behavior problems and, with the exception of earnings, statistically significant, positive, indirect relationships with teacher-rated adaptive language skills over time. Findings suggest further that parenting efficacy may mediate the link between poor and near-poor single Black mothers’ depressive symptoms and their preschoolers’ subsequent school adjustment. Implications of these findings for policy and program interventions are discussed.

Parental Knowledge and Its Sources: Examining the Moderating Roles of Family Structure and Race

Bumpus, M. F., Rodgers, K. B. — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:19:09 PDT

This study aims to examine patterns of parental knowledge and its sources (adolescent reports of disclosure, parental solicitation, and parental trust) among adolescents who differ as a function of family structure and race. Data are drawn from adolescents (N = 2,374, M = 14 years, SD = 1.68) participating in a school-based study. Adolescent disclosure is a stronger predictor of parental knowledge in single-parent families and stepfamilies and in European American families. Conversely, parental solicitation is more highly related to parental knowledge in original two-parent families and in African American families. These findings provide a first step in understanding the ways in which family structure and race may shape the acquisition of parental knowledge. Implications for future research and application are also discussed.

Trends in Marital Happiness by Gender and Race, 1973 to 2006

Corra, M., Carter, S. K., Carter, J. S., Knox, D. — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:19:09 PDT

This article uses data from the 1973-2006 General Social Survey to assess the interactive impact of race and gender on marital happiness over time. Findings indicate independent and significant effects for both variables, with Whites and husbands reporting greater marital happiness than Blacks and wives. Comparing four subgroups (White husbands, White wives, Black husbands, and Black wives), the authors find that White husbands report the highest levels of marital happiness whereas Black wives report the lowest. Assessment of trends from the 1970s to the 2000s reveals a convergence among the groups: Although White husbands consistently report the highest levels of marital happiness, there has been a steady decline in the gap between all four groups. Most notably, Black wives exhibit a significant increase in marital happiness relative to the other groups. Findings are discussed in the context of the changing structure and composition of families in contemporary U.S. society.

Husbands' and Wives' Relative Earnings: Exploring Variation by Race, Human Capital, Labor Supply, and Life Stage

Winslow-Bowe, S. — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:19:09 PDT

Whereas much research has explored the causes and consequences of the gender wage gap, far less has examined earnings differentials within marriage. This article contributes to this literature by utilizing the 2000 wave of the 1979 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth to examine variation in husbands’ and wives’ relative income by race/ethnicity, human capital, labor supply, and life stage. The author finds that Black women’s disproportionate concentration among high relative earning wives can be attributed more to their greater attachment to paid labor than to their husbands’ labor supply. Nonetheless, Black women’s odds of earning as much as or more than their husbands are greater than those of White women. In addition, unlike research on the motherhood wage gap more generally, the author finds that the impact of motherhood on women’s earnings relative to their husbands can be largely explained by mothers’ lower labor supply relative to their childless counterparts.

Military Service, Race, and the Transition to Marriage and Cohabitation

Teachman, J. — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:19:09 PDT

Using data from the 1979 National Longitudinal Study of Youth, the author investigates the relationship between military service and the transition to the first intimate union. The author argues that active-duty military service promotes marriage over cohabitation. The results are consistent with this argument, showing that active-duty members of the military are much more likely to choose marriage over cohabitation compared to reserve-duty service members, veterans, and comparable civilians. These results are particularly strong for Black men, indicating a possible relationship between working in a largely race-neutral environment and the choice of first intimate union.

A Qualitative Study of Families and Children Possessing Diagnoses of ADHD

Firmin, M. W., Phillips, A. — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:16:36 PDT

This phenomenological research study replicates R. Segal's (1998) study of 17 Canadian families. The authors interview 17 American families participating in the national support group Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder, focusing on the challenges they face in rearing children diagnosed with ADHD. Three particular themes emerge. First, the parents appear to be attuned to their children's needs and report being proactive in making adaptations and interventions when needed to accomplish family objectives. Second, the results are generally congruent with those reported by Segal. In both cases, mornings and afternoons are vulnerable times for the families. Segal found mornings most difficult, however, whereas families in this study relate homework periods in the afternoons to be most challenging. Third, parental strategies are salient for successfully rearing children with ADHD. The families emphasize the constructs of routine and structure as being paramount to navigating daily life successfully.

The Management of Courtesy Stigma in the Lives of Families With Teenagers With ADHD

Koro-Ljungberg, M., Bussing, R. — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:16:36 PDT

This qualitative study investigates how parents of adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) manage courtesy stigma in their lives. Focus groups are conducted with mothers and fathers of adolescents with ADHD who are part of a cohort study on ADHD detection and service use. Using grounded theory analysis, researchers find that parents react to external expectations put forward by various community networks, but they respond to an internalized sense of responsibility in the context of immediate family. In addition, parents' stigma management extends beyond coping with their child's disability, adding an extra layer of stressful demands that could be lessened through societal stigma reduction. To conclude, advice offered to families needs to be individualized, carefully matched with their current support networks and priorities, and needs to consider that certain stigma management approaches can perpetuate existing negative identity markers.

Marital and Parent--Child Relationships in Families With Daughters Who Have Eating Disorders

Latzer, Y., Lavee, Y., Gal, S. — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:16:36 PDT

This study assesses and compares the relationship between parents' marital quality, parent—child relationship, and severity of eating-related psychopathology in families with and without eating disorders. Data are collected from the mother, father, and daughter of 30 families with a daughter diagnosed with anorexia or bulimia and from 30 matched healthy control families. Results indicate that parents of daughters with anorexia or bulimia have significantly lower marital quality than the control group, and the daughters report lower relationship quality with their parents. Parent—child relationships serve as a mediating variable between parents' marital quality and severity of the eating-related psychopathology. Results highlight that higher marital quality is associated with better parent—child relationships, which are related to a lower severity of eating-related psychopathology.

Sibling Relationships and Adolescents' Mental Health: The Interrelationship of Structure and Quality

Vogt Yuan, A. S. — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:16:36 PDT

Although sibling structure influences some aspects of adolescents' well-being, including deviance and educational achievement, little research has explored the association between sibling structure and adolescents' mental health. This study explores how sibling structure (the number of siblings, full versus step- or half-siblings, the relative age of siblings, and the gender composition of siblings) influences adolescents' mental health and whether sibling relationship quality mediates or interacts with sibling structure. Using data from the 1995 National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, the author performs multilevel modeling to control for siblings' sharing a joint family context. Results indicate that sibling structure has few associations with mental health and sibling relationship quality generally does not mediate (or suppress) these associations. However, sibling structure moderates the association between sibling relationship quality and adolescents' mental health. Thus, sibling structure and relationship quality appear to be interconnected in their influence on adolescents' mental health.

Grandmother--Grandchild Relationship Quality Predicts Psychological Adjustment Among Youth From Divorced Families

Henderson, C. E., Hayslip, B., Sanders, L. M., Louden, L. — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:16:36 PDT

This study investigates maternal grandmother—grandchild relationship quality as a predictor of psychological adjustment among youth from divorced families. Three hundred twenty-four adolescents aged between 17 and 20 report on the quality of their relationships with their maternal grandmothers and their relational competence, self-efficacy, and psychological symptoms. Structural equation modeling analyses support a model in which participants' relationships with grandmothers predict their psychological adjustment. Family background (divorced vs. intact families) moderates the relationship between relationship quality and adjustment; youth from divorced families indicate that their relationships with their maternal grandmothers are more salient to their adjustment than do youth from intact families. These findings suggest that the bonds young people develop with their maternal grandmothers following their parents' divorce may positively affect their psychological functioning.

Adolescent Family Context and Adult Identity Formation

Benson, J. E., Johnson, M. K. — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:16:36 PDT

This study examines the links between adolescent family context and coming to see oneself as an adult. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, the authors investigate how adolescent family structure, resources, and processes together influence adult identity and whether they do so similarly for men and women. The authors find that youth in single-parent or stepparent families, but not in two-parent adoptive families, are more likely to identify as adults compared with those in two-biological-parent families. These relationships, however, are mediated by both family resources and processes. Furthermore, one of these processes, parental control, is especially influential for youth in single-father and other family structures, and parent—adolescent relationship quality and living in other-structure families are more consequential for young women than men.

Is Religiosity Related to Better Parenting?: Disentangling Religiosity From Religious Cognitive Style

Duriez, B., Soenens, B., Neyrinck, B., Vansteenkiste, M. — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:16:36 PDT

This study examines associations between parental religiosity and parenting in a sample of 482 mother—child and 453 father—child dyads. Parents complete a religiosity measure that allows disentangling the effects of being religious from the effects of the way in which people process religious contents (i.e., literal vs. symbolic). In addition, parent and adolescent reports of two parenting style (i.e., need support and regulation) and parental goal promotion dimensions (i.e., intrinsic vs. extrinsic and conservation vs. openness to change goal promotion) are gathered. Whereas parental religiosity is positively related to a tendency to promote conservation rather than openness to change goals, a symbolic religious cognitive style relates positively to need support and the promotion of intrinsic rather than extrinsic goals. Hence, whereas relations between parental religiosity as such and parenting are limited and not unequivocally positive, a symbolic religious cognitive style systematically relates to adaptive parenting styles and goals. Implications are discussed.