Rebuilding Relationships in a Transgender Family: The Stories of Parents of Japanese Transgender Children

This study considers the process by which parents accept their transgender children through an analysis of the stories of parents in Japan. The study also considers how the gender identity of parents is affected by their child and the discourses related to queer identities. The mothers were strongly motivated to understand their child and reconstructed the image and life stories of the child. Through these processes, the mothers came to reconsider their own gender identities in queer ways. In contrast, the fathers had a lack of motivation to understand their child, and their masculinity was not significantly influenced by deessentialism.     

Nonshared Environment Research

SUMMARY

This review focuses on conceptualizations of nonshared environment and on four areas of research that should be targeted for future growth. It is argued that there are at least two different approaches to the study of nonshared environment. “Experience-oriented” researchers center on sibling differential experiences in the family and their role in children's development. “Outcome-oriented” investigators focus on the search for environmental origins of individual differences in outcomes. Turkheimer and Waldron's (2000) concept of objective versus effective nonshared environment and Reiss and colleagues' (2000) notion of single-system versus multi-system nonshared environment processes are also discussed. Four topics for future research are outlined: (1) age-related changes and development; (2) the role of the self; (3) the role of context; and (4) the importance of extrafamilial experiences. More work in these areas will lead to useful theories of how nonshared environment processes are linked to sibling and individual differences in behavioral development and adjustment.     

Intervention with Families in Extreme Distress (FED)

The FED (Families in Extreme Distress) Project described in this article was developed as an intervention model for families in extreme distress. The concept of families in extreme distress includes not only those families which have been widely regarded as multi-problem families for decades, but also those which may appear to be like any other middle class family. The dis- organization in family functioning that is created by an interaction of many problems results in a durable distress which is repeated throughout successive generations. The intervention design of this project was structured and short- term, and each family in the group met once a week in their own home for ten sessions with a therapeutic team composed of three workers. The target of the intervention was the functioning of the entire family as a unit; and goals included clarifying boundaries, strengthening roles, and developing a communication system. Analysis of the therapeutic sessions revealed several techniques which are useful for intervention with the FED population. The intervention process with these families should be multilevel and case management should not only include providing family therapy, but also advocating and mediating with various institutions in the community, as well as making connections for financial assistance.While some major policy changes may be required to meet the finan- cial and manpower needs involved in such a model, this demonstra- tion project indicates that investing the right resources is worthwhile for effecting change within the FED population.     

Analytic Essay Cults

No abstract available for this article.     

Acceptance and Caregiving of Married and Divorced Custodial Mothers and Fathers

The study examined whether differences in gender and family status affect parental caregiving disposition and acceptance of children among parents of children in mid-childhood. The number of participants were 122 divorced-custodial fathers, 107 married fathers, 85 divorced-custodial mothers, and 82 married mothers (n?=?398). A comparison among four groups of parents revealed the following gender differences: mothers scored higher on anxious caregiving and parental acceptance than fathers, and lower on avoidant caregiving. Regression analysis indicated that the higher the caregiving avoidance or anxiety, the lower the parental acceptance. Family status moderated parental acceptance, as avoidant caregiving was associated with reduced parental acceptance among married parents, but not among divorced custodial parents. The finding that avoidant caregiving was not associated with reduced acceptance among divorced custodial parents implies that their parental acceptance behaviors toward their children are affected by their parental status as sole custodial parent, and the associated responsibilities, rather than by gender.     

Adolescents,Online Marketing and Privacy: Predicting Adolescents’ Willingness to Disclose Personal Information for Marketing Purposes

The present study aims at exploring which factors predict the willingness of adolescents to disclose personal information in response to online marketing requests. Our analyses show that especially privacy concerns and perceived benefits explain a considerable portion of variance in both willingness to disclose profile data (e.g. age, hobbies, favourite products) and contact data (e.g. phone number, e‐mail address, home address). An interesting interrelationship was found between profile data and contact data disclosure. Contrary to our expectations, parental mediation strategies were only a weak predictor of teenagers’ willingness to disclose contact information. Policy implications that emerge from the central findings of this study are discussed.     

Social Support

The purpose of this two year study was to understand the provision of social support to recently divorced women with children from the perspective of the primary support person. Each of 157 women identified her primary support. Friends, boyfriends, and parents were the most common sources of support. Two-thirds of the women changed their primary support person over the study period. The primary supports were interviewed three times over two years and asked to describe the support they provided and the reciprocity of their relationship. Eleven types of support were described with availing, direct support, distancing, and valuing identified most often. Availing was presented as the most helpful type of support and intruding, the least helpful. Reciprocity was perceived as slightly better than moderate.     

Children's Behavior Problems in Single-Parent and Married-Parent Families

Abstract

A model integrating prevailing perspectives on children's functioning following divorce was used to predict children's behavior problems. The data were collected from 30 custodial mothers, 30 custodial fathers, and 30 married parents with children 6 to 10 years of age, using face-to-face interviews and standardized questionnaires. Results using path analysis indicated that marital status and parental control had significant direct effects on children's behavior problems. Sex of parent, economic strain, co-parental conflict, coping with roles, and parenting indirectly influenced children's behavior through parental control. The findings suggest that the pressures inherent in raising a child alone, combined with too few resources for coping with role demands, are disruptive to both parenting and parental control, and that children in single-parent families appear to respond to these deficits with disruptive behaviors. Implications for family practice and policy are discussed.