Donald L. Bubenzer

Bittersweet connections: informal social networks as sources of support and interference for adolescent mothers

As a part of a larger study 46 adolescent mothers were administered the Inventory of Social Contacts which unlike previous social network measures assesses perceptions of both support and interference derived from family and peers. Results indicate that while subjects derived considerable support from their networks they also experienced interference from those same individuals. The most significant source of interference was found to be from relatives in the areas of child rearing and emotional/personal concern. Family members and friends were equally important as sources of child rearing, emotional, and material support. Implications for practice are discussed.

Peer relationships as a source of support for adolescent mothers.

Little has been written about the role of the peer group in the lives of adolescent mothers. There has been speculation that an adolescent mothers peer relationships change as a result of pregnancy andparenthood. The literature indicates that peers become less able to provide a support system. Little empirical evidence has been provided to support this speculation. This study assessed a sample of 46 adolescent mothers on the amounts and types of supportprovided byfriends as compared to relatives and examined peer support in relation to parenting stress. The Inventory of Social Contacts measured levels of perceived child-rearing, emotional, and material support and interference from family and friends. The Parenting Stress Index assessed self-reported parenting stress arising from child and parent characteristics. Results of repeated-measures ANOVAs and Pearson correlations indicated that, as compared to family, friends provide more emotional support and less interference. Parenting stress is buffered more effectively by the support that is provided by friends.

Assessing sexual addiction with the sexual dependency inventory-revised

Abstract This study examines the Sexual Dependency Inventory-Revised (SDI-R) for certain aspects of reliability and validity. Three groups of subjects were sampled: sexual addicts (n = 73); sexual offenders (n = 55); and nonaddictlnonoffenders (n = 42). Responses from these three groups were analyzed to investigate the stability and usefulness of Sexual Dependency Inventory-Revised. Results indicate that the SDI-R is highly reliable and demonstrates potential for both criterion and construct related validity. This study presents the first objective psychometric data on one of the few instruments designed to assess sexual addiction. The inventory appeared to be a reliable and valid instrument for both research and clinical purposes, when used with the knowledge that further investigation is necessary.