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Description
Despite the compelling nature of goodness of fit and widespread recognition of the concept, empirical support has lagged, potentially due to complexities inherent in measuring such a complicated, relational construct. The present study examined two approaches to measuring goodness of fit in mother-child dyads and prospectively explored associations to mother-child relationship quality, child behavior problems, and parenting stress across the preschool period. In addition, as goodness of fit might be particularly important for children with developmental delays, child developmental risk status was considered as a moderator of goodness of fit processes. Children with (n = 110) and without (n = 137) developmental delays and their mothers were coded while interacting during a number of lab tasks at child age 36 months and during naturalistic home observations at child age 48 months. Mothers and father completed questionnaires at child ages 36 and 60 months assessing child temperamental characteristics, child behavior problems, and parenting stress. Results highlight child-directed effects on mother-child goodness of fit processes across the early child developmental period. Although there was some evidence that mother-child goodness of fit was associated with parenting stress 2 years later, goodness of fit remains an elusive concept. More precise models and expanded developmental perspectives are needed in order to fully capture the transactional and dynamic nature of goodness of fit in the parent-child relationship.
ContributorsNewland, Rebecca Pauline (Author) / Crnic, Keith (Thesis advisor) / Bradley, Robert (Committee member) / Jahromi, Laudan (Committee member) / Millsap, Roger (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
Description
This study investigated father-child Activation Theory and the impact of activative fathering on children's dysregulation and social skills. The sample followed 145 families of typically developing children across ages 4 to 6. Fathering and mothering behaviors were coded via naturalistic observations at child age 4, children's dysregulation was coded during a laboratory puzzle task at age 5, and children's social skills were rated by parents and teachers at age 6. Results found support for a constellation of activative fathering behaviors unique to father-child interactions. Activative fathering, net of mothering behaviors, predicted decreased behavioral dysregulation one year later. Support was not found for moderation of the relation between activative fathering and children's dysregulation by paternal warmth, nor was support found for children's dysregulation as a mediator of the relation between activative fathering and children's social skills. These results suggest that parenting elements of father-child activation are unique to fathering and may be more broadly observable in naturalistic contexts not limited to play activities alone. Additionally, activative fathering appears to uniquely influence children's self-regulatory abilities above and beyond identical mothering behavior. In the present work, paternal warmth was not a necessary for activative fathering to positively contribute to children's regulatory abilities nor did children's dysregulation link activative fathering to social skills.
ContributorsStevenson, Matthew (Author) / Crnic, Keith (Thesis advisor) / Dishion, Thomas (Committee member) / Bradley, Robert (Committee member) / Eisenberg, Nancy (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
Description
Family plays an important yet understudied role in the development of psychopathology during childhood, particularly for children at developmental risk. Indeed, much of the research on families has actually concentrated more on risk processes in individual family members or within-family subsystems. In general, important and complex associations have been found among family-related constructs such as marital conflict, parent-child relationships, parental depression, and parenting stress, which have in turn been found to contribute to the emergence of children's behavioral problems. Research has begun to emerge that certain family system constructs, such as cohesion, organization, and control may influence children's development, but this research has been limited by a focus on parent-reports of family functioning, rather than utilizing observational methods. With notable exceptions, there is almost no observational research examining families of children at developmental risk. This study examined the longitudinal relations among family risk and family system constructs, as well as how family systems constructs mediated the relations between family risk and child outcome. Further, the study examined how developmental risk moderated these relations. The sample followed 242 families of children with and without developmental risk across the transition-to-school period. Family risk factors were assessed at 5 years, using parental reports of symptomatology, parenting stress, and marital adjustment, and observational assessments of the parent-child relationship. Family system constructs (cohesion, warmth, conflict, organization, control) were measured at age 6 using structured observations of the entire family playing a board game. Child behavior problems and social competence were assessed at age 7. Results indicated that families of children with developmental delays did not differ from families of typically developing children on the majority of family system attributes. Cohesion and organization mediated the relations between specific family risk factors and social competence for all families. For families of typically developing children only, higher levels of control were associated with more behavior problems and less social competence. These findings underscore the importance of family-level assessment in understanding the development of psychopathology. Important family effects on children's social competence were found, although the pathways among family risk and family systems attributes are complex.
ContributorsGerstein, Emily Davis (Author) / Crnic, Keith A (Thesis advisor) / Aiken, Leona (Committee member) / Bradley, Robert (Committee member) / Gonzales, Nancy (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
Description
This thesis was an analysis of items in the Late Adolescent Home Observation for Measure of the Environment (LA HOME) after the first wave of N = 138 interviews. The purpose of this project was to learn how to utilize a statistical software such as SPSS to analyze items and interpret results. Frequency analysis, inter-rater reliability (IRR), correlation analysis, internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha, and feedback from research assistants were considered when deciding which items should be eliminated from the measure. After running these analyses, ten items were suggested for deletion including: clean, adolescent's room allows for privacy, reference materials, news, family encourages adolescent to think independently, community service, parent knows where adolescent spends time, weekly household responsibilities, school/career planning, and dentist. Future interviews generating a larger sample size as well as discussions and subsequent revisions to the manual will clarify additional items that may be eliminated from the final version of the instrument.
ContributorsMiller, Ava Kathryn (Author) / Bradley, Robert (Thesis director) / Spinrad, Tracy (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
Community Action Research Experiences (CARE) partnered with Mission of Mercy, a faith-based nonprofit organization that provides free medical care services to uninsured and underinsured individuals throughout the Phoenix valley. A needs assessment was conducted on Mission of Mercy's patient population and data collected over a two month long period, in which 91 completed surveys were collected. Participants were between the ages of 18 to over 65 and were largely Hispanic/Latino, followed by White/Anglo and Black/African American. The results indicate that there is need for increased patient education which could be satisfied by implement an incentive program. A need for a program specific to high blood pressure was also found. Participants were interested in dental services being offered, a service that is currently not offered through the Arizona chapter of Mission of Mercy. The study also showed that respondents were satisfied with the level of care received at Mission of Mercy.
ContributorsMack, Ashley Marie (Author) / Bradley, Robert (Thesis director) / Dumka, Larry (Committee member) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
The Community Action Research Experiences program integrates the research and teaching mission of Arizona State University by providing services to the community by fostering professional and leadership development of students. It is hoped that the results of the collaborations with CARE will serve to further an organization's goals and effectiveness. VALLEYLIFE (VL) is a non-profit organization striving to help people with disabilities. VL develops Action Programs for each of its clients, whom they call members, to improve their independent or social skills. Examples of programs that members may work on include tasks such as computer training, visual arts, or writing. VALLEYLIFE lacked the data to evaluate if the developed and implemented Action Programs are properly carried out by the staff in ways that are beneficial to members. Given the problem, this research project sought to conduct a process evaluation of the staff regarding their implementation of the Action Programs. This involved observations of employee-member interactions in performing the Action Programs and an interview of staff measuring their preparedness and confidence in performing the program and their feelings of the programs and how things are run. This research provided the following implications to VALLEYLIFE. VL might consider performing periodic observations and reviews of the program implementation to monitor quality. VL may consider involving staff in program development and revision to create programs that better serve members. VL may consider generating ideas for how they may cooperate when a peer is struggling to keep up with events that happen through the day in the interest of better serving the members. Overall, employees are doing well as they are efficient in carrying out the written programs during program time. They are comfortable with what they are doing, use time effectively, and do their best to help the members. There is always room for improvement however and by considering some of the implications mentioned, VALLEYLIFE and their employees may be able to take action that may hold potential for further improvements in effectiveness.
ContributorsAbalos, Cherylene Sales (Author) / Bradley, Robert (Thesis director) / Dumka, Larry (Committee member) / Goldblatt, Lois (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor)
Created2013-05