James J. Ponzetti

Family studies and intergenerational studies: Intersections and opportunities

ABSTRACT This paper reviews key sources in the field of family studies in order to identify, in research and program development, intersections of theoretical, methodological, or programmatic interests. The purpose of the paper is to begin a dialogue between researchers and practitioners in the fields of family studies and intergenerational studies to foster collaborative projects in research and programming. The authors have chosen to limit the literature reviewed to sources that contain landmark reviews of research on intergenerational relationships from the perspective of the family studies field: Decade reviews that appeared in the primary journal of the National Council on Family Relations, the Journal of Marriage and the Family(Broderick, 1971a; Berardo, 1980; Booth, 1990; Milardo, 2000); the Handbook of Marriage and the Family(Sussman & Steinmetz, 1987; Sussman, Steinmetz, & Peterson, 1999); Families: Intergenerational and Generational Connections(Pfeifer & Sussman, 1991).

The moderating effects of rituals on commitment in premarital involvements

Abstract Rituals promote commitment in marital and family relationships. However, the salience of rituals to commitment in premarital involvements has not been investigated. This study examined if rituals were related to commitment, and to what extent rituals moderated the association between investment model variables (i.e., satisfaction level, investment size, and alternatives) and commitment. University students (N = 100) who were in a couple relationship volunteered to participate. Findings indicated that rituals were significant predictors of commitment; however, no unique variance was accounted for once investment model variables were taken into consideration. Rituals significantly moderated the relationship between alternatives and investments, and commitment. Implications for future research are discussed.

The effectiveness of participatory theatre with early adolescents in school‐based sexuality education

Public concern about adolescent sexuality has garnered considerable interest in recent decades. Most teenagers are either thinking about or acting on their sexual impulses. Yet notable controversy exists regarding sexual education among youth. Adolescents report sexuality education must speak to issues of interest to them and be delivered in a compelling manner. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of theatre as an effective means of education. Six hundred and twenty‐seven Canadian Grade Nine students completed a questionnaire before and after a theatre production as part of sexuality education in their schools. The limited statistically significant findings were unexpected. However, students revealed positive comments in interviews. The nature of theatre, the personal content of the play, and the science‐based methods of evaluation are suggested as reasons for this contradiction. Future research on theatre in school‐based sexuality education must incorporate qualitative research methods if different approaches to evaluation research in fine arts (such as drama) and social science are to be resolved.