Attachment,Affective Responsiveness,and Cohesion in Adoptive Families: Child and Parent Perspectives

Some adoptive families are at risk for problems in family functioning. This study investigated the extent to which attachment to parents and affective responsiveness of the family predicted family cohesion and satisfaction with the adoptive family from both the child's and the parent's perspectives. Using a sample of 50 adopted children and their parents, our findings indicated that attachment to mother was salient in predicting children's perceptions of family cohesion and satisfaction with their adoptive family. Parental ratings of affective responsiveness of the family predicted parents' evaluation of family cohesion and their satisfaction with the adoption. As hypothesized, children and parents differed in their ratings of the cohesion and affective responsiveness of their family, with children reporting lower levels of these constructs than parents. Implications for practitioners and directions for future research are discussed.     

Individual and Crossover Effects of Work Schedule Fit: A Within‐Couple Analysis

A couple‐level analysis with a sample of 105 female reduced‐hours physicians and their full‐time–employed husbands found individual and spouse crossover effects: Each spouse's ratings of own schedule fit predict own job‐role quality; wives' ratings of partner/family schedule fit predict their marital‐role quality, with a similar trend for husbands; husbands' ratings of own schedule fit predict wives' marital‐role quality; and husbands' ratings of partner/family schedule fit and wives' ratings of own schedule fit predict husbands' psychological distress. These findings highlight the interdependence of couple members' experiences and illustrate potential costs of wives' trading off time at work for time at home.     

DYSFUNCTION AND FAILURE IN OPEN FAMILY SYSTEMS: II. CLINICAL ISSUES*

The “open family” model is widely used as a point of reference for healthy family functioning, but potential dysfunctional aspects of open families are not well understood. A unified theory is used to integrate diverse typological models of families to build a composite clinical picture of the disabled open family. The disabled open family is found to be chaotically enmeshed, caught in its commitment to collective problem solving. Its need for closure, tolerance for ambiguity, and expressive communication style can lead to intensely emotional sustained conflicts. Stress-related symptoms and aggressive acting out may be manifest in individuals, especially children. Dispersal of members may ultimately be necessitated by the exhausting process. Family therapy with the open family requires special attention to its style as a family and its characteristic responses to interventions. The unified theory is shown to be useful in planning strategy and choosing techniques for treatment of open families. The treatment issues connected with the pseudo-open family, a family with open values but severely limited resources in actual operation as an open system, are also highlighted.     

PROBLEM MAINTENANCE IN FAMILY SYSTEMS: AN INTEGRATIVE MODEL*

Cybernetic theory, social learning theory and psychodynamic theory often have been put forth as competing models of the maintenance of family problems. It is argued here that the relative absence in the field of attempts to integrate these perspectives has restricted severely the development of family assessment and therapy. After highlighting the essential features of these three models, an integrative model of family problem maintenance is proposed, and the model's applicability is demonstrated in an illustrative discussion of three major types of clinical problems: symptomatic spouse, symptomatic child, and conflictual couple. Implications of the model for clinical practice are also discussed.     

Brief Family Therapies

A modified version of Guerin's (1976) classification was used to categorise the principal models of brief family therapy according to theoretical and technical dimensions. While all models stemmed from common origins, either psychodynamic or systems theory, they differed in three particular areas: the premises regarding the origin of symptoms, the aims of therapy, and the major strategies employed. Nevertheless, all models were in agreement on several aspects, including the principles underlying brief family therapy techniques, the focus on the family's current level of functioning, the importance of clearly defining the problem (but not necessarily in terms of traditional psychiatric diagnoses), and other family variables. A survey of the literature indicated that there was a paucity of scientifically acceptable investigations of brief family therapy, and thus, a lack of valid evidence that any model provided an effective approach to therapy.     

The Long Arm of Trauma During Childhood: Associations with Resources in Couple Relationships

Traumatic experiences within and outside the family of origin in childhood may disrupt couple functioning later in life. Using a sample of 3,958 couples assessed through the Relationship Evaluation Questionnaire (RELATE), an actor–partner independence model was fit to test direct and indirect associations between negative impact from one's family of origin (accounting for physical violence and sexual abuse) and resources in couple relationships. Resources were defined using intervention principles derived from the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory. Actor and partner effects suggested negative family impact associates with relationship instability and is mediated through negative couple communication. Actor effects suggested negative family impact associates with less calmness in one's self and is also mediated through negative couple communication.     

Women's Status in a Rural Chinese Setting

Abstract This study extends the literature by identifying two new dimensions of rural women's status (husband's housework sharing and women's exposure to the larger world, in addition to power and autonomy) based on rich information from a representative sample of 1,062 childbearing women in rural Yunnan, China. It utilizes linear structural relations models to operationalize and analyze variations in women's status. The findings show that women's status is multi‐dimensional and cannot be captured under a single index. Female literacy and family socioeconomic status are positively associated with women's status, whereas the extended household structure and spousal age differences have a negative effect on women's status. Minority women and women from the plains area enjoy greater equality in housework sharing than the Han women and those from hilly villages. Han Chinese women and those residing in the plains area enjoy greater decision‐making power than minority women and women residing in mountainous areas.     

Effect of Husbands' Employment Status on Their Wives' Subjective Well‐being in Korea

This study used data from the Korea Labor and Income Panel Survey (2001, 2003–2007) to estimate the effect of a husband's unemployment on his wife's subjective well‐being (SWB). Ordinal and pooled binary logistic regression models were estimated using 20,099 observations from a sample of 4,569 married women; a fixed‐effects logistic regression model was also estimated using 5,514 observations from a restricted sample of 1,070 wives who experienced at least 1 change in SWB over the follow‐up period. The findings indicated that a husband's unemployment was detrimental to his wife's SWB. This spillover effect appeared to be mediated in part through nonpecuniary factors (i.e., dissatisfaction with family and social relations). These findings suggest that, beyond income loss and the well‐being of unemployed individuals, the social cost of unemployment should consider the negative effects of unemployment on the family, in particular the spouse.     

Legacy Volunteering: A Test of Two Theories of Intergenerational Transmission

Sociological theory suggests two reasons that volunteering runs in families. The first is that parents act as role models. The second is that parents who volunteer pass on the socioeconomic resources needed to do volunteer work. Panel data from two generations of women (N = 1,848) are analyzed to see how much influence family socioeconomic status and mother's volunteering have on daughter's volunteer careers. More highly educated women and women whose mothers volunteered donate more hours initially, but only family socioeconomic status increases volunteering over the life course.     

A Theoretical Comparison of Relational Maintenance and Closeness as Mediators of Family Communication Patterns in Parent-Child Relationships

This investigation sought to elaborate Koerner and Fitzpatrick’s theory of family communication by testing two theoretical models of family communication patterns (FCP), child-to-parent inclusion of the other in the self (IOS), and relational maintenance. Participants included 374 young adults recruited from two universities in different regions of the United States. Results best supported a model positioning maintenance as a mediator of the association between FCP and IOS, as compared to an alternative model with IOS as a mediator of the association between FCP and maintenance. These findings extend Koerner and Fitzpatrick’s theory by highlighting communication as the means by which overarching family schemas influence relationship-specific schemas; additionally, they commend the self-expansion model as a useful theoretical approach to relational maintenance behavior in family contexts.     

Conceptions of Family and Adoption Among Older Adoptees

ABSTRACT

Research on older child adoptions that incorporates the adoptee's perspective is noticeably absent from the literature. Drawing on the theoretical, clinical and empirical literature on children's understanding of family and adoption, this paper reports a study that examined older adoptees' conceptions of family and adoption relative to nonadopted peers. Interviews with 15 children adopted between ages 8 and 11 and a sample of 15 demographically matched nonadopted children (47% male; 84% Caucasian, 13% African American, 3% Biracial Asian/American) provided data that were analyzed for differences in children's understanding and elaboration of family and adoption concepts. Although no group differences were found in children's basic understanding of family or adoption, differences emerged in children's ratings of the acceptability and typicality of family constellations, as well as in the nature of concept elaboration. Older adoptees were more likely to accept and view as typical nontraditional family constellations. Whereas nonadopted children relied more on biological themes, older adoptees' concept elaboration was qualitatively richer, reflecting their varied birth family and foster care experiences. Within-group comparisons among older adoptees revealed differences: Children with more experience in foster care and children who lived in the adoptive home longer displayed higher levels of family understanding and a more realistic perspective of the permanence of the placement. Implications for future research and adoption service delivery are discussed.     

Resident and Family Perspectives on Assisted Living

Abstract

This research describes and compares the relative importance residents and family members place on attributes of the environment, the programs, and the policies of assisted living; describes their satisfaction with these features; and identifies factors associated with congruence between residents' and family members' ratings of importance and satisfaction. Both residents and their family members had high importance and satisfaction ratings. Family members gave the assisted living setting lower satisfaction ratings on all features than did residents. Congruence ranged from 34% to 71% for importance items and from 29% to 63% for satisfaction. Female residents, affectionate family relationships, and residing in an AL owned by a chain were positively associated with congruence on importance items, while resident and family education, resident income, and family involvement were negatively associated with congruence on importance items. For congruence on satisfaction items, having an affectionate relationship was positively associated and higher ADL dependency, more family involvement at the facility, and family members who viewed the facility as a safe place were negatively associated with congruence. This study makes a major stride forward because cognitively intact residents' perspectives are compared and contrasted with their own family members' perspectives, thus showing that residents and family members are two distinct groups, each with a unique set of preferences.     

Is implementation fidelity associated with improved access to care in a School-based Child and Family Team model?

Effective child and family centered service planning is crucial to addressing vulnerable children's needs. However, there is limited evidence about what facets of these processes improve service use and outcomes. The current study used a Poisson random effects hazard model to test correlations between fidelity to NC's Child and Family Support Team model and time to service receipt, using case management data for 3396 children served by that program during the 2008–2009 school year. Students were more likely to receive recommended services more quickly when caregivers and the students attended planning meetings, when their plans included services for caregivers, and when child and family team leaders followed up after meetings to verify service receipt. Contrary to the Child and Family Support Team theory of change, match between student needs and the lead agency of the meeting was not associated with the odds of quicker service receipt, nor was attendance by natural supports. Findings from this study demonstrate the potential effectiveness of using case management systems to measure service planning process fidelity, as well as how results thereof can both inform process improvement and potential refinements to models’ theories of change.     

The Family‐Friendly Community and Its Life Course Fit for Dual‐Earner Couples

Much is known about family‐friendly workplaces. This article examines the less understood family‐friendliness of the communities in which dual‐earner couples reside. Using data from a representative sample of dual‐earner couples (N = 727) in upstate New York, we examine how individual, couple, and neighborhood characteristics are associated with perceptions of community family‐friendliness. Using a life course perspective, we find that couples with young children rate their communities more favorably than do other couples. Findings also indicate that for couples with children of their own, living in a neighborhood with many other families with children is associated with higher ratings of family‐friendliness. We term this match, between a couple's life stage and their neighborhood's demographic structure, life stage‐neighborhood fit.     

Evaluation of Family Therapy: A Comparison of Therapists' and Clients' Views**

In this evaluation of therapy experience for 82 families by brief therapy at Bouverie Clinic to 1976–1977, therapists' and clients' rating of outcome were obtained. After termination of therapy both therapists and clients reported high improvement rates in the presenting problem(s) as well as in the quality of family relationships and in the family's ability to deal with further problems. High agreement was found between therapist’ and clients' ratings of outcomes. Therapists were more favorable than clients in their ratings of change in the presenting problem and in their ratings of change in the quality of family relationships, but not in assessing the change in family's further problem solving ability. At follow-up clients were predominantly satisfied with their therapy experience. In addition, therapists' ability to predict outcome accurately, after the second of therapy, was strongly supported by our finding.     

Interview With Michael Kerr

The following article was written by Dr Michael Kerr in response to questions put to him by Barbara Fraser; Linda Mackay and Lu Pease when he visited Australia two years ago. These three family therapists took it upon themselves to prepare this interview in recognition of Dr Kerr's unique vantage point on Bowen Theory and family therapy. Michael Kerr was trained by Murray Bowen in the 1970s and subsequently went on to work as faculty at the Georgetown Family centre. He succeeded Bowen as director of the centre where he has devoted his professional life to the understanding, application and extension of theory. He is the co‐author with Dr Bowen of Family Evaluation: An Approach Based on Bowen Theory (Kerr & Bowen, 1988), which remains the most esteemed text on this theory. He is also the editor of Family Systems: A Journal of Natural Systems Thinking in Psychiatry and The Sciences. Bowen's Family Systems Theory grew out of years of research from the 1950s‐1970s, which included observations of inpatient families with a schizophrenic member and using data from Bowen's own interactions with his family of origin (Bowen, 1978). The theory continues to be influential in family therapy with its most well‐known contributions being the process of triangling, the intergenerational transmission of family patterns and the concept of differentiation of self. (Brown, 1999). The following discussion from Dr Kerr brings a fresh perspective on the current applications and developments of this systems theory     

Willingness and availability: Explaining new attitudes toward institutional elder care among Chinese elderly parents and their adult children

This paper studies the attitudes of Chinese elderly parents and their family members toward institutional elder care. Based on a sample survey of 265 elderly residents in 67 elder home institutions and 114 family members, this study finds that elders and family members generally had high evaluations of institutions' quality in terms of facility, medical, and direct care conditions. Elders who reported improved health and emotional well-being after entering institutions gave higher ratings to those institutions' quality. Among adult children, those who had more siblings tended to rate institutions higher than those who had fewer siblings. Factors that influenced elders' willingness to stay in an institution included marital status and financial ability. Widowed elders were more willing to stay in institutions compared with married counterparts. Elders who rated service charge very high preferred to stay at home due to the high cost of institutional care. In the family relatives' sample, gender was found to be related to willingness to place elderly parents in an institution; female children were less willing to place elderly parents in the institution.     

Departmental quality ratings and visibility: The advantages of size and age

In this article I argue that quality ratings can be conceptualized as reflecting the extent to which departments are visible to outside raters. Using cross-sectional as well as panel data on sociology departments from the two latest surveys of graduate education published by the National Research Council in 1982 and 1995, I explain departmental quality ratings in terms of measures that reflect a department’s visibility, such as its faculty productivity, size, age, and location at an elite-status university. While the results of the cross-sectional and the longitudinal models tell different stories, the two are not incompatible. Specifically, both models suggest strong effects of departmental size and age. By comparison, the estimated effects of faculty productivity and location at an elite-status university are weaker and significant only in the cross-sectional model. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, New York, NY, August 1996. This research was conducted under a FLAS fellowship from the U.S. Department of Education. I wish to thank Lowell Hargens for helpful comments and advice.