Blake L. Jones

The work-family interface in the United States and Singapore: conflict across cultures.

This article examines the work-family interface in a cross-cultural comparison between two nationally representative samples from the United States (n = 1,860) and Singapore (n = 1,035) with emphasis on work-family conflict. Family-to-work conflict was negatively related to marital satisfaction in both Singapore and the United States, although the effect was stronger in the United States. Similarly, family-to-work conflict was positively related to job satisfaction in the United States but was negatively related in Singapore. As expected, schedule flexibility was negatively related to depression in the United States, but in Singapore the relationship was positive. These findings suggest that theoretical relationships in the work-family interface developed in the more culturally individualistic West may need to be adapted when studying populations in the more collectivist East.

Perceived Versus Used Workplace Flexibility in Singapore: Predicting Work-Family Fit

This study examined the relationship of 2 types of workplace flexibility to work-family fit and work, personal, and marriage-family outcomes using data (N = 1,601) representative of employed persons in Singapore. We hypothesized that perceived and used workplace flexibility would be positively related to the study variables. Results derived from structural equation modeling revealed that perceived flexibility predicted work-family fit; however, used flexibility did not. Work-family fit related positively to each work, personal, and marriage-family outcome; however, workplace flexibility only predicted work and personal outcomes. Findings suggest work-family fit may be an important facilitating factor in the interface between work and family life, relating directly to marital satisfaction and satisfaction in other family relationships. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Parent routines, child routines, and family demographics associated with obesity in parents and preschool-aged children

Many daily routines and behaviors are related to the prevalence of obesity. This study investigated the association between routines and behaviors that act as protective factors related to lower prevalence of obesity in parents (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) and overweight in preschool children (BMI ≥ 85th percentile). Socio-demographic characteristics were assessed in relation to protective routines (PRs), and prevalence of obesity/overweight data from 337 preschool children and their parents. The two PRs assessed with parents included adequate sleep (≥7 h/night) and family mealtime routine (scoring higher than the median score). The four PRs assessed in children included adequate sleep (≥10 h/night), family mealtime routine, limiting screen-viewing time (≤2 h/day of TV, video, DVD), and not having a bedroom TV. Overall, 27.9% of parents were obese and 22.8% of children were overweight, and 39.8% of the parents had both parent PRs, and only 11.6% of children had all four child PRs. Results demonstrated that several demographic factors were significantly related to the use of PRs for parents and children. The lack of PRs was related to increased risk for overweight in children, but not for obesity in parents. However, in the adjusted models the overall cumulative benefits of using PRs was not significant in children either. In the multivariate adjusted logistic regression models, the only significant individual PR for children was adequate sleep. In a path analysis model, parent sleep was related to child sleep, which was in turn related to decreased obesity. Overall, findings suggest that parent and child PRs, especially sleep routines, within a family can be associated and may play an important role in the health outcomes of both parents and children. Understanding the mechanisms that influence how and when parents and children use these PRs may be promising for developing targeted family-based obesity-prevention efforts.

Visual stimulation enhances auditory processing in 3-month-old infants and adults

Behavioral work demonstrates human infants are sensitive to a host of intersensory properties and this sensitivity promotes early learning and memory. However, little is known regarding the neural basis of this ability in infants. Using event-related potentials (ERPs) with infants and adults, we show that during passive viewing auditory evoked brain responses are increased with the presence of simultaneous visual stimulation. Results converge with previous adult neuroimaging studies, single-cell recordings in nonhuman animals, and behavioral studies with human infants to provide evidence for an elevated status of multisensory stimulation in infancy. Furthermore, these results may provide a neural marker of multisensory audio-visual processing in infants that can be used to test developmental theories of how information is integrated across the senses to form a unitary perception of the world.

Family chaos and lack of mealtime planning is associated with food insecurity in low income households

•Family chaos and lack of meal planning distinguished food insecure from food secure households.•Findings held when controlling for confounders such as education and marital status.•Mealtime planning may be a resource for food insecure households.

Temporal Workplace Flexibility and Associated Work-Life Outcomes for Professionals

An increasing proportion of workers are dual-earners in professional occupations, actively seeking rewarding, full-time careers while at the same time engaging in satisfying home and personal life. However, the demands of today’s global economic environment often make work-life integration problematic (Hill et al., 2006). One adaptive strategy to deal with work-life conflict is to choose to be flexible about when one works and opting to reduce work hours, especially when demands in the home are great (Allen and Shockley, 2009; Grzywacz, 2009; Voydanoff, 2007). This adaptive strategy is called temporal workplace flexibility.

Effortful Control as a Mediator Between Contextual Stressors and Adjustment in Midwestern Latino Youth.

The challenges of transitioning into adolescence may be exacerbated for Latino youth whom, on average, often experience additional unique stressors such as discrimination and poverty. However, self-regulation traits, such as effortful control, could protect youth against the negative effects of stressors. Using a resilience framework, we examined the relations of multicultural stressors on depressive and externalizing problems in Latino youth, and tested if effortful control counteracted these relations. We hypothesized that stressors would positively predict depressive and externalizing problems, but that effortful control would compensate against these risks. Latino families with a fifth-grade child (N = 57, mean age = 10.5, 57.9% female, 83% two-parent) living in the Midwest were recruited utilizing community resources. Data were cross-sectionally analyzed using structural equation modeling in Mplus. Stressors were positively associated with depressive and externalizing problems, whereas effortful control had negative direct effects on maladjustment. Results suggest that effortful control may help counteract contextual risks commonly experienced by Latino youth. Los retos de la transición a la adolescencia pueden ser exacerbados para los jóvenes Latinos que, en promedio, tienen experiencias adicionales de estresores únicos tales como la discriminación y la pobreza. Sin embargo, características de la regulación de la emoción, tal como el control esforzado de la atención, pueden proteger a los jóvenes de los efectos negativos del estrés. Objetivos: Usando un marco de resistencia, examinamos las relaciones de los estresores multiculturales con los síntomas depresivos y externalizantes en jóvenes Latinos, y probamos si el control esforzado contrariara estas relaciones. Nuestra hipótesis fue que estresores predecirían positivamente síntomas depresivos, pero que el control esforzado compensaría contra estos riesgos. Métodos: Familias Latinas con hijo/a en el quinto grado (N = 57, edad media = 10.5, 54% niñas, 83% con ambos padres) viviendo en el Medio Oeste fueron reclutadas utilizando recursos de la comunidad. Los datos fueron analizados transversalmente usando modelos de ecuaciones estructurales en MPlus. Resultados: Estresores fueron positivamente asociados con síntomas depresivos y externalizantes mientras que el control esforzado tuvo efectos directos negativos sobre la inadaptación. Conclusiones: Los resultados sugieren que el control esforzado puede ayudar a proteger a jóvenes Latinos contra riesgos contextuales comunes.

Cumulative Family Stress and Diurnal Cortisol Responses in Midwest Latino Families

Latino youth and their families have been shown to experience higher levels of stressors than the general population, as well as additional unique stressors such as racism, poverty, acculturation, and discrimination. Chronic or cumulative stress often disrupts physiological systems and can lead to dysregulation in diurnal cortisol responses. This study examined the associations between family stress and cortisol responses in 57 Latino mother-adolescent dyads (N = 114) living in the Midwestern United States. Dyads collected saliva 6 times across two consecutive days and completed a survey. Results from repeated measures mixed-effect analysis found that both mothers and adolescents in the high-stress group had flatter cortisol awakening responses than those in the low-stress group, which indicated disruptions in their diurnal cortisol rhythms. These findings suggest that family stress can potentially influence the diurnal cortisol patterns of early Latino adolescents as well as adults, which may, in turn, lead to future health problems.

Helping Dual-Earner Couples Manage Work–Partner Interferences: A Program Evaluation

This study explored the effectiveness and informed further development of a brief intervention designed to teach couples strategies for managing interferences from work to their romantic relationship. A pretest/posttest design with a control group measured the impact of the intervention on married couples’ work–partner balance skills and strategies and their relationship satisfaction. Couples in the intervention group improved in areas of work–partner balance compared with the control group, but there was no difference in relationship satisfaction between groups. The program was most effective for women. Based on these findings, we discuss program strengths, areas for improvement, and future directions for work–partner management programming.

Making time for family meals: Parental influences, home eating environments, barriers and protective factors

Frequent family mealtimes have been associated with numerous positive dietary, health, and behavioral outcomes for children and families. This review article summarizes some of the beneficial outcomes associated with having frequent family dinners. Current trends in family dinner frequency are discussed in the context of barriers that influence how often families eat dinner together, including time issues, work issues, and distractions in the home environment. Next, several parental influences and home environment factors that promote healthy and consistent family dinners are outlined. Finally, limitations are discussed and a few practical suggestions are mentioned to help encourage families, employers, and policy-makers to make family mealtimes a regular practice for as many families as possible.