Amy Laura Arnold

Economic pressure and health and weight management behaviors in African American couples: A family stress perspective

This study extends the family stress model by examining the influence of economic pressure on health and weight management behaviors mediated by depressive symptoms and spousal support among 506 African American married couples. The actor–partner interdependence model accounted for the interdependent nature of relationships. Findings support the family stress model; yet pathways differed slightly for husbands and wives. Economic pressure directly influenced depressive symptoms and spousal support. Spousal support was a buffer against poor health and weight management behaviors for husbands, while depressive symptoms exacerbated poor health and weight management behaviors for wives. These mechanisms have implications for practitioners who promote African American couples’ well-being.

How Family Structures and Processes Interrelate The Case of Adolescent Mental Health and Academic Success in Military Families

The transitional nature of military life positions the family to serve as the primary and most stable influence for adolescents in military families. These military-related transitions and stressors may also put youth at risk for depression and academic challenges. This study examines the relative impact of family structure (family composition at a given time point) and family processes (interpersonal interactions developed over time) on important adolescent outcomes (depressive symptoms and academic performance) for a sample of military youth (N = 995). While family structure, particularly being part of a stepfamily or single-parent family, was related to greater depressive symptoms and poorer academic performance, family processes (family support and parent–adolescent connection) and personal resources (initiative) also accounted for depressive symptomology and academic performance. Importantly, when modeling family processes, no differences were found across family structures. Military youth thrive in diverse family forms in the presence of healthy family processes.

An Integrated Approach to Relationship Education: Supporting Human Services Providers to Strengthen Individuals and Families

Healthy relationship education helps ameliorate the cycle of family fragmentation. Although provided in a variety of forms, scholars support that the most efficient way of promoting healthy relationship education is through integration within human services. The National Resource Center for Healthy Marriage and Families uses a workshop approach to assist human services providers to integrate healthy relationship skills into their preexisting service delivery methods. In this study, a “for whom does it work” approach was used to identify workshop participant (N = 40) characteristics that influenced learning impact and transfer of learning. Supervisors reported greater transfer of learning. Personal and agency readiness were predictive of learning impact. Barriers to integration, as well as implications for practice and research, are discussed.