Midwestern Women’s Farm Business Roles and Farm Business Financial Satisfaction: An Exploratory Study

The roles of women have been and remain central to the functioning of the family farm business. However, a gap in recent literature on farm women, in general, exists and research is limited regarding women’s farm business roles and their satisfaction with their farm business financial situation. The purpose of this study was to explore factors that impact farm women’s perceptions of farm business financial satisfaction. Results indicated that the importance of financial solvency and satisfaction with one’s farm role were positively associated with women’s farm business financial satisfaction. Holding a primary decision-making role was negatively associated with farm business financial satisfaction. Implications for educators, professionals who work with farm women, and researchers are discussed.     

Extending the Conceptualization of Listening Fidelity

An exploration of variables potentially related to Listening Fidelity (LF) was conducted through two separate studies. Study 1 indicated that when the potential fidelity of the stimulus message was varied as a function of the number of words and time length, the message with lowest potential fidelity produced significantly lower LF than either the moderate or high potential LF message versions. The moderate potential fidelity message produced the more normal score distribution although not significantly different LF scores than the high potential message. Differences in LF were not indicated as a function of participant sex, gender, or listening style. Study 2 found that LF and two of the three internal scoring components of LF were significantly correlated with four of five dimensions of the Watson Barker Listening Test. Continued emphasis on developing alternative cognitions and exploring listener confidence, cognitive complexity, and the specific function and relationship of LF with listening outcomes were recommended.     

The association of affective and continuance commitment with correctional staff life satisfaction

Previous research suggests that life satisfaction is a stronger predictor of job performance than job satisfaction, and life satisfaction is negatively associated with absenteeism and a desire to retire early. Despite the fact that employees with high life satisfaction are essential for organizations’ optimal efficiency, little empirical research exists to determine the individual and workplace factors that shape and maintain high correctional staff life satisfaction levels. This study investigates the impact of two types of organizational commitment, continuance and affective, on correctional staff life satisfaction at two Midwestern prisons, one private and one public. Continuance commitment was negatively related and affective commitment was positively related with life satisfaction for staff in both prisons. Possible methods to increase affective commitment and life satisfaction for correctional staff are discussed.     

Socialization factors in contraceptive attitudes: Roles of affective responses,parental attitudes,and sexual experience

Attitudes about using specific contraceptives were hypothesized to be based mainly on heterosexual or autoerotic feelings. Affective responses to two stimulus themes were correlated with attitudes toward the use of contraceptives. The prediction was confirmed, moderated by levels of sexual experience and parental attitudes reported by the college student participants. Attitudes toward the use of contraceptives which involve genital manipulation, such as the diaphragm or condom, were positively correlated with feelings about masturbation themes presented in slides. Similarly, a positive relationship was found between attitudes about non‐genitally manipulative contraceptives, such as the pill, and heterosexual themes. Having little sexual experience or reporting negative parental attitudes toward sex increased the observed frequency of several of these predicted correlations. Explanations for these results included a reinforcement interpretation of the socialization experiences determining the development of attitudes toward using the various methods of birth control.     

Effects of community violence exposure and parental mental health on the internalizing problems of urban adolescents

Previous research has documented an association between adolescent community violence exposure (CVE) and poor psychological functioning. The purpose of this study is to delineate the relations of CVE, parental mental health, and adolescent PTSD and depression. Participants consisted of 121 pairs of junior high and high school students and their parents. Adolescents completed measures to assess their history of violence exposure and current psychological functioning. Parents completed a demographic questionnaire and measures assessing their psychological functioning. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted, and results indicated that, after controlling for demographic variables and family violence exposure, parental mental health emerged as a moderating variable in the relation between CVE and adolescent-rated PTSD, but not in the association between adolescent CVE and depression. Clinical implications of this study and directions for future research are discussed.