The Ohio State University
Human Development and Family Science
One-hundred twelve primarily European American and middle-class two-parent families with resident fathers and a 4-year-old child (48% girls) participated in a longitudinal study of associations between coparenting and father involvement.... more
One-hundred twelve primarily European American and middle-class two-parent families with resident fathers and a 4-year-old child (48% girls) participated in a longitudinal study of associations between coparenting and father involvement. At the initial assessment and one year later, fathers reported on their involvement in play and caregiving activities with the focal child, and coparenting behavior was observed during triadic family interactions. SEM was used to test cross-lagged associations between coparenting behavior and father involvement. Overall, paths from father involvement to coparenting behavior were significant, but paths from coparenting behavior to father involvement were not. Specifically, greater father involvement in play was associated with an increase in supportive and a decrease in undermining coparenting behavior over time. In contrast, greater father involvement in caregiving was associated with a decrease in supportive and an increase in undermining coparenting behavior. Multi-group analysis further showed that these cross-lagged relations did not differ for dual earner families and single (father) earner families, but these relations appeared to differ for families with focal daughters and families with focal sons. These findings highlight the potential for fathering to affect coparenting and the importance of considering the role of contextual factors in coparenting-fathering relations.
- by Rongfang Jia
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Early Childhood Education Early childhood is a period of rapid growth and change unlike any other time later in life. Education in this period greatly affects the life of an individual. The skills acquired in this period form the... more
Early Childhood Education Early childhood is a period of rapid growth and change unlike any other time later in life. Education in this period greatly affects the life of an individual. The skills acquired in this period form the foundation, and any deficiencies in the development of children from birth to 6 of age can be difficult to be dealt with in future periods.
- by Jane Chen and +1
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- Montessori Education
The study uses 457 clients to investigate the impact of initial client factors on the development of therapeutic alliance. Data were collected longitudinally over the early portion of treatment. Cases included both individual and couple... more
The study uses 457 clients to investigate the impact of initial client factors on the development of therapeutic alliance. Data were collected longitudinally over the early portion of treatment. Cases included both individual and couple clients, allowing for examination of differences by case type. The study used the Working Alliance Inventory-Shortened Version (Tracey & Kokotovic, 1989) to measure therapeutic alliance. Initial factors considered included age, differentiation levels, prior stress, and depression. Couple clients showed differences from individual clients, and the variability prompted further investigation into relationship satisfaction and commitment as factors influencing the development of therapeutic alliance. Results highlight the increased complexity of developing an alliance with couples, and recommendations are provided for clinicians.
- by Lan Wang and +1
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- Psychology, Social Work, Couples Therapy, Cooperative Behavior
Therapeutic alliance research in couple therapy using multiple perspectives and longitudinal data has been sparse. This study used structural equation modelling to explore relationships between changes in alliance and in progress from... more
Therapeutic alliance research in couple therapy using multiple perspectives and longitudinal data has been sparse. This study used structural equation modelling to explore relationships between changes in alliance and in progress from clients' and therapists' perspective in a fairly large sample of couples (N 5 195) during the initial stage of therapy at an oncampus training clinic. Self-rated alliance was measured after sessions 2 through 4 with the Working Alliance Inventory. There was very little change in alliance over the early sessions of therapy, and changes in alliance did not always account for changes in relationship satisfaction. Husbands' perceptions of satisfaction and alliance seem to play an important role in the dynamics of the therapeutic process. Findings suggest a reciprocal relationship between perceptions of alliance and progress in therapy when combining perceptions of therapists and couple clients. Clinical implications and future research are discussed.
- by Lan Wang and +1
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- Psychology, Family Therapy, Social Work
Runaway adolescents engage in high rates of substance use and report significant family and individual problems. However, in general, adolescents report low motivation to change their substance use. Because a higher level of motivation... more
Runaway adolescents engage in high rates of substance use and report significant family and individual problems. However, in general, adolescents report low motivation to change their substance use. Because a higher level of motivation for changing substance use is associated with greater substance abuse treatment success, identifying variables associated with motivation for change can be useful for enhancing treatment success. In this study, predictors of motivation for changing substance use were examined among 140 shelter-recruited adolescents and their parents/ primary caretakers. Several findings were noteworthy. A perceived negative family environment increased parents' and adolescents' depressive symptoms, which increased adolescent's motivation to change. Also, greater severity of adolescent substance use predicted higher motivation to change. Consideration of the family environment and parent problems when addressing motivation for changing substance use among these adolescents might be important foci for motivational interventions and future research.