Jacki Fitzpatrick

The Role of Network Support and Interference in Women's Perception of Romantic, Friend, and Parental Relationships

This study examined the association between support/interference from the best friend and closest parent to womens (a) satisfaction with the parent–daughter relationship, (b) satisfaction with the friendship, and (c) love for the romantic partner. The respondents (n = 162 females; 84% Caucasian, 1% Asian American, 10% Hispanic, 4% African American, and 1% Multiracial) completed a questionnaire packet to assess each of the factors. Results revealed that romantic love was unrelated to friend support, friend interference, or parental interference, but positively related to parental support. Parent support was a significant correlate of parent satisfaction, and a similar pattern emerged between friend support/friendship satisfaction. Further, best friend support moderated the relationship between friend interference and friendship satisfaction, such that interference was negatively related to satisfaction in low support conditions. Overall, the results suggested that network reactions to romance played a limited role in romantic affection, but were more strongly associated with network satisfaction.

Sexual‐moral attitudes, love styles, and mate selection

Students at a southwestern university were surveyed to test the interrelations of three constructs: sexual‐moral attitudes, love styles, and attraction criteria. Following the procedures of the National Health and Social Life Survey, from which the sexual‐moral attitude items were obtained, we conducted a cluster analysis to create attitudinal groupings. We obtained four clusters representing various nuances of liberalism and conservatism. When compared on love styles, the clusters differed primarily on ludus and pragma. Not only did some of the liberal clusters differ from some of the conservative ones on love styles, but there were also some differences within liberalism and within conservatism. Cluster differences also emerged on the attraction criteria.

Parental Status, Social Support, and Marital Adjustment

This study examined the relation between parental status and marital adjustment of employed individuals. The sample consisted of 91 individuals—47 employed wives and 44 employed husbands. This study found that men with children reported higher levels of marital adjustment compared to men without children and women with and without children. Overall, women with children reported lower levels of marital adjustment compared to women without children and men with and without children. The study also investigated the potential moderating effects of social support on the relation between parental status and marital adjustment. As expected, women with children who reported lower social support were more vulnerable to lower marital adjustment than were other groups of women. Level of social support was not a moderator for men. It also was found that affective support had moderating effects, but no such effects were evident for instrumental support.

Hispanic Mother and Father Perceptions of Fathering: A Qualitative Analysis

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the ways in which Hispanic (of Mexican descent) mothers and fathers viewed the role of fathers in families. To elicit these views, seven focus group discussions were conducted with 28 spouses/relationship partners. Content analysis of the interview transcripts identified seven dimensions of the fathering role: (a) instrumental providers, (b) disciplinarians, (c) role models, (d) teachers, (e) participants, (f) playmates, and (g) emotional supporters. These findings are discussed in the context of Hispanic cultural mores and past research on fathers.

Linking family functioning to dating relationship quality via novelty-seeking and harm-avoidance personality pathways

Organized by the systems theory concepts of equifinality and interdependence (Broderick, 1993) and Hustons (2000) social ecology model, this study examined two personality-based pathways to dating relationship quality among college students. The first pathway extends from family dysfunction to dating relationship quality via novelty seeking and excessive drinking. The second pathway extends from family dysfunction to relationship quality via harm avoidance and interpersonal competence. Male (n = 64) and female (n = 105) undergraduates completed questionnaires. The findings strongly supported the first hypothesis that was derived from Hustons social ecology model and the systems principle of equifinality. There were significant associations between adjacent variables in the path model and the presence of both pathways in the tested model provided a good fit to the data. The second hypothesis, based on the systems principle of interdependence, was not supported when cross-pathway links were included in the tested model. Implications for theory and research are discussed.

A Contextual Model Analysis of Women's Social Competence, Affective Characteristics, and Satisfaction in Premarital Relationships

To test the contextual model (Fincham & Bradbury, 1988), this study examined the associations among social competence factors (e.g., self-disclosure, conflict resolution), affective factors (e.g., optimism, loneliness), and satisfaction in womens premarital relationships. The respondents (n = 108 undergraduate women) completed a questionnaire to assess all variables. Hierarchical multiple regression indicated that social competence factors partially mediated the relation between the affective characteristics and satisfaction. The affective factor of loneliness, and the social competence factor of self-disclosure, were significant unique predictors of satisfaction. Overall, the results provided partial support for the contextual model and highlighted the benefits of joint examination of distal and proximal characteristics.

Lifestyle and close relationship trends among young adults in Poland

The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of recent relational trends in Poland. Based on the clinical, theoretical, and empirical literature, the overview addresses both attitudinal (e.g., focus on individual need fulfillment and gender equality) and behavioral (e.g., timing of first intercourse and living arrangements) factors. The literature review is divided into four categories: (a) leaving home; (b) intimate relationships; (c) love, sexuality, and fertility; and (d) economics, work, and gender. Although some contrasts to prior generations are noted, the overview focuses primarily on relational trends among the current generation of Polish young adults.

The Application of Kram’s Mentorship Functions to a Service Learning Assignment

Abstract The purpose of this article is to describe the application of Kram’s mentorship principles to the development of a service learning assignment in an undergraduate course. An overview of the (a) assignment and (b) qualitative analysis of student papers is provided. Recommendations for other courses are noted.

Educating Extension Agents: An Evaluation of Method and Development of a Remarried Family Educational Program.

The purpose of this study is to test two formats of a remarriage educational program on cooperative extension agents. Agents were randomly assigned to a written format group, an audiotape format group, or a control group and were mailed pretest-posttest packets. Analysis of pretest-posttest scores for the three groups indicate a significant increase in scores for the written format group. Discussion focuses upon differences between the two formats and implications for service providers.

Romantic/Marital, Parental, and Familial Relationship Policies in the US

Throughout its history, the United States of America (USA) has been characterized by a duality of cultural value sets that focus on (a) individuality, self-initiative, and privacy as well as (b) social conformity, charity, and social stability. Although there have been time periods when one value set has had more influence on family policy, neither value set has been able to retain prominence. This fluctuation in value prominence has resulted in policies that are transitory and prone to change. In addition, multiple levels of government (e.g., local, state, federal) can create family laws/policies, and there might be little consistency across the levels. Collectively, these conditions contribute to a public policy system that is fluid and emergent. This chapter will provide an overview of the (a) socioeconomic context and (b) specific aspects of family life (e.g., marriage, childrearing, work, care for vulnerable individuals) that are impacted by US policies. A list of specific policies (Table 24.1) is provided to exemplify the development of family laws over time.