Divorce Disclosures and Adolescents' Physical and Mental Health and Parental Relationship Quality

Two studies were constructed to examine the associations between custodial parents' negative disclosures about the other parent after a divorce and parent–adolescent relational quality (closeness and satisfaction) and adolescents' physical and mental health. In general, the results suggested that even though negative disclosures about the other parent might be associated with more cohesive relationships between custodial parents and adolescents, it does not mean that adolescents are immune to the physical and psychological effects of such disclosures. In Study 2, negative disclosures about the other parent were associated with adolescents' increased reports of physical and mental health symptoms. The results revealed a similar effect for general divorce information and adolescents' mental health. However, there was no association for catharsis and adolescents' physical and mental health. The results from both studies also revealed that adolescents perceived that their custodial parents disclosed more negative information about the other parent than the parents perceived that they disclosed.     

The Construction of Sexual Identities in an Online Gay,Lesbian, and Bisexual Bulletin Board System

An online bulletin board system was used to focus on how sexual minority gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) individuals perceive and display their individual and collective sexual identities through textual and visual communication processes. While exploring sexual identity construction, four major themes emerged: “coming out,” separation, equality and civil rights, and misconceptions. Concepts of identity negotiation theory help to conceptualize the observed sexual identity construction processes. This work provides insight into how GLB individuals around the world perceive, construct, and perform their sexuality as well as how they perceive the majority culture as viewing them.     

The distinction between provoked and unprovoked aggression in toddlerhood,and associations with empathy-related processes

Physical aggression in toddlerhood has received considerable attention in the past 20 years. The underlying theme has been that toddlers behave aggressively due to not yet being able to regulate their frustration. However, there is some evidence to suggest that early aggression can occur for other reasons. In this study, we tested the distinction between provoked and unprovoked aggression in toddlerhood, and examined whether different empathy-related processes would show unique associations with each type of aggression. Participants were 200 mothers of children aged 15–21 months (M_age = 18.32 months, SD = 1.75) who completed measures of provoked and unprovoked aggression, and empathy-related processes. We found that the two-factor aggression model fit the data well. In addition, when controlling for the overlap between other-oriented empathy and personal distress, other-oriented empathy demonstrated a negative association with unprovoked aggression, and personal distress showed a positive link with provoked aggression. Our findings underscore the importance of studying early physical aggression in a more nuanced way to better understand different functions it may serve in toddlerhood.     

Mental health and breast cancer screening utilization among older Hispanic women

Considerable racial and ethnic differences exist in the way the burden of cancer is experienced in the United States for older Hispanic women. This study utilized data from the 2008 wave of the Health and Retirement Study to investigate the mental health factors associated with older Hispanic women’s participation in breast cancer screening services. Logistic regression models were used. Findings indicated that anxiety and positive affect were associated with a greater likelihood of participating in breast cancer screening. Despite ongoing national conversations, evidence indicates there is agreement that underserved women need to be screened, particularly the older Hispanic population.     

Is It Our Day or the Bride’s Day? The Division of Wedding Labor and Its Meaning for Couples

Based on qualitative interviews with southern California heterosexual engaged couples, I examine how wedding planning work is divided between the bride and the groom and how couple’s meaningfully interpret the division of labor. I find that couple’s wedding planning work disproportionately falls to women, especially that labor that is invisible. Wedding work, in many respects, is another form of unpaid and unappreciated women’s work, not that unlike housework. Yet, couples do not understand wedding work as an unequal pursuit. Couples use an assortment of interactional strategies to interpret wedding work as a joint and equal enterprise.     

Formulating waste management strategies based on waste management practices of households in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

Rapid urbanisation, population growth and changes in lifestyles in low- and middle-income countries contribute to increasing the per capita domestic waste generation. This trend leads to deplorable environmental and public health conditions, especially in rapidly expanding cities of low- and middle-income countries lacking appropriate waste management systems, Santiago de Cuba is no exception. To improve solid waste management in the city of Santiago de Cuba, the generation of household waste was studied and individual waste treatment approaches were assessed. The principle of a household level analysis was adopted to enable the development of strategies based on the specific conditions of households, their awareness and needs.In February 2004, a survey covering 1180 households was conducted on issues such as monthly consumed goods, waste generated and its treatment. The waste generated by the households was subsequently assessed by means of a measuring campaign. The measured volume not only comprised the collected waste fraction but also the waste materials treated on-site or recovered and recycled by all the different means available.The paper contains the results of the composition and distribution of the waste generated by the households as a function of socio-demographic data. Furthermore, the paper describes the various household treatment strategies dependent on specific waste material types. Several types of household waste can be differentiated by statistical cluster analysis. These household types are characterised not only by the amount of waste generated but also by socio-economic status and waste treatment practices. The results obtained are used to develop a range of waste management strategies, each relating to a household type and characterised by its generated amount, waste material type and spatial urban distribution. Since the strategies are adapted to the requirements and needs of the households, they are more readily accepted by the population concerned. Such socially anchored strategies will contribute to improving the waste situation in the city of Santiago de Cuba and allow an optimised allocation of local resources.     

Feeling Caught Between Parents: Adult Children's Relations With Parents and Subjective Well‐Being

Research on divorce has found that adolescents’ feelings of being caught between parents are linked to internalizing problems and weak parent‐child relationships. The present study estimates the effects of marital discord, as well as divorce, on young adult offspring's feelings of being caught in the middle (N =632). Children with parents in high‐conflict marriages were more likely than other children to feel caught between parents. These feelings were associated with lower subjective well‐being and poorer quality parent‐child relationships. Offspring with divorced parents were no more likely than offspring with continuously married parents in low‐conflict relationships to report feeling caught. Feelings of being caught appeared to fade in the decade following parental divorce. These results suggest that, unlike children of divorce, children with parents in conflicted marriages (who do not divorce) may be unable to escape from their parents’ marital problems—even into adulthood.