Jonathan J. Fox

Who uses nutrition labeling, and what effects does label use have on diet quality?

Abstract Information on the characteristics of individuals using nutrition labeling and the effects of label use on diet quality can be used to guide the development of more effective consumer education programs. For this study, data from the U.S. Department of Agricultures (USDA) 1989 Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals (CSFII) and Diet and Health Knowledge Survey (DHKS) were used to identify socioeconomic, demographic, and health-related characteristics and the nutrition-related knowledge and attitudes that were associated with label use. This analysis employed a theoretical model of determinants of label use that was based on an economic model of information search. Characteristics found to be positively associated with the likelihood of using nutrition labeling were having at least some college education, being female, living with others rather than living alone, being more knowledgeable about nutrition, believing that following the principles of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans is important, and being more concerned about nutrition and product safety and less about taste when shopping for food. Having identified the characteristics of label users, this information was used in a model of nutrient consumption that was based on consumer demand theory. A selectivity analysis was employed to correct for potential self-selection bias on label use. Label use appeared to be associated with the consumption of diets that were higher in vitamin C and lower in cholesterol. However, label use in 1989 did not significantly influence the intake of 24 other food components investigated.

Racial differences in investor decision making

Abstract Racial differences in investment behavior are investigated using data from the 1995 Survey of Consumer Finances. Socioeconomic, financial, and attitudinal variables are incorporated in a life-cycle savings model. The impact of all variables is allowed to differ between Black households and White households to understand racial differences in risky asset ownership. We determine that observed racial differences in risky asset ownership are explained by racial differences in the individual determinants of risky asset ownership, not by race in and of itself. Specifically, these differences seem to center on the impact of children and household size. JEL classification: D12; D91; G11; J70

Financial Education and Program Evaluation

This chapter provides an overview of the wide range of financial education programs aimed at improving Americans’ financial literacy as well as a review of the current program evaluation evidence demonstrating the impact of financial education programs. We advocate for the adoption of a comprehensive framework for evaluation to assist those currently delivering, and planning to deliver, financial education while highlighting some of the key challenges. Jacobs’s (Evaluating family programs, pp. 37–68, 1988) five-tier approach to program evaluation is described and outlined to provide a general framework to guide financial education evaluation.

Student learning style and educational outcomes: evidence from a family financial management course

Abstract The academic performance of 419 undergraduate students in an individual financial management class was evaluated in light of their learning style, demographic background, academic history and time allocation. Academic history and time use variables proved to be the only significant predictors of grades in the course. Student learning style, as measured by Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory, was not a strong predictor of success in this financial management class, and it appears that no single type of learner best grasps financial management concepts. The implications of these finding lead to a discussion of instructional methods.

Parenting Practices and Interventions among Marginalized Families in Appalachia: Building on Family Strengths

Using an ecological framework, the various contexts for parenting among marginalized families in Appalachia are discussed. Appalachian parenting styles are thought to be functional adaptations to a rural and often socioeconomically depressed environment within this geographical region. Characteristics of parenting styles, parents themselves, and their children are reviewed. Further, attention is paid to how family life professionals respond to these characteristics. Finally, suggestions are made for how professionals may cooperate with parents through the offering of support, information, and skills that are culturally responsive. In order to understand more comprehensively the parenting practices of low-income families who originate from rural areas of Central Appalachia, the larger historic, economic, cultural, and social heritage of this region must be considered. The broader ecological context experienced by Appalachian families is thought to involve the interaction of two major factors: (a) the socialcultural influences of urban America and (b) the lingering aspects of a rural folk culture. Recent ecological models of human development provide a basis for understanding how the parent-child socialization process within Appalachian families should be conceptualized in terms of complex social environments with diverse expectations (Bronfenbrenner, 1979). Much of the recent scholarship on parent-child socialization focuses on the parent-child dyad as an intimate social system that is embedded in the surrounding social environment as opposed to the traditional preoccupation with the individual (Belsky, 1981, 1984; Elder, 1991; Ford & Lerner, 1995; Lerner, 1991). Parent-child socialization, according to this viewpoint, involves relationships with both near and more distant environments such as the physical surroundings, immediate social contexts (e.g., the family), economic conditions, educational institutions, socioeconomic circumstances, and elements of the cultural context. This larger social environment encompasses the parent-child relationship and is organized into multiple levels that (a) are interconnected, (b) are hierarchically organized, (c) vary in terms of proximity to the parent-child relationship, and (d) function to directly or indirectly shape the lives of children and their elders. Added to this complicated ecological model are the elements of time and history, with the result being that parent-child relations and the larger social context are subject simultaneously to forces that are unique to a given time period, yet are also products of previous eras. Therefore, from an ecological perspective, the parent-child dyad is seen as a subsystem or component of larger social systems (Henry, 1994; Whitechurch & Constantine, 1993), and socialization within the parent-child relationship of Central Appalachia is thought to occur within the context of extended family systems that include grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and other relatives. Members of these extended family systems often have their residential roots in common geographic areas of rural Appalachia that may be thought of as kinship communities. Moreover, these complicated family systems are best viewed in terms of Appalachias distinctive ecological context that includes aspects of the local community, the schools, the workplace, religious institu tions, unique cultural patterns, economic circumstances, the media, and influences from urban America. Using this ecological approach, we consider how the circumstances of marginalization are reflected in the childrearing practices and socialization patterns of Appalachian families. More specifically, we consider the effects of marginalization on parenting practices of those lower income families from rural areas of southern West Virginia, eastern Kentucky, eastern Tennessee, western North Carolina, and western South Carolina. Additional attention is devoted to Appalachians who have migrated outside the Appalachian region and currently reside in urban areas. …

The Legacy of Welfare Economic Endowments or Cultural Characteristics

The current study explores the impact of parental welfare history on individuals’ current use of welfare by decomposing intergenerational differences using techniques traditionally employed in the race and sex wage discrimination literature. This research extends Rank and Cheng’s examination of welfare across generations by including various attitudinal, cultural, and community factors. Empirical testing of the the oretical explanations of welfare use— cultural and structural models—found mixed support. Utilizing data from the National Survey of Households and Families, logistic regression and decomposition analysis shows that family endowments and resources, but not family culture, determine welfare use. Differences in education, socioeconomic status, attitudes, and community resources appear to sufficiently explain the influence of intergenerational welfare use. The article concludes with implications of welfare reform in light of the theoretical models and the current study findings.

Differences in the dietary quality of adults living in single versus multiperson households

Abstract Because nearly 25% of American adults live in single-person households, it is important to examine the quality of their diets. Using data from the U.S. Department of Agricultures 1987–88 Nationwide Food Consumption Survey, we compared the diets of adults living in single-person households to those living in multiperson households by selected sex-age groups. Dietary quality was examined in terms of intake as a percent of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for 15 essential nutrients, a measure of dietary adequacy, and of intake of fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium, a measure of dietary moderation. To facilitate comparisons, indices reflecting dietary adequacy and dietary moderation were constructed. Overall, single women and men reported fewer intakes meeting the RDA and consequently had lower dietary adequacy scores than their counterparts in multiperson households. However, these individuals had significantly better dietary moderation scores than their counterparts in multiperson households. Based on these results, the dietary moderation and dietary adequacy indices may be useful for identification of factors influencing overall diets and for prediction of dietary status of groups of individuals sharing common characteristics. These indices may also be valuable to nutrition educators because they provide measures of dietary compliance with specific aspects of current dietary recommendations.

Advancing Financial Literacy Education Using a Framework for Evaluation

This chapter provides an overview of a wide range of financial evaluation initiatives aimed at improving Americans’ financial literacy. The chapter reviews the current program evaluation evidence and highlights challenges faced by providers of financial education programs as they evaluate program effectiveness. The chapter describes and outlines Jacobs’ five-tiered approach to program evaluation, a comprehensive framework for evaluation that can provide guidance for those currently or planning to deliver a financial education program.

Financial Management and Marital Quality: A Phenomenological Inquiry

This study explores the link between couples’ financial management practices and their marital quality through qualitative inquiry. Six couples in their first marriage, with at least one child age 18 or younger, were interviewed to understand how the couples’ financial histories affect their current approach to financial management, and how their financial management affects their relationships. Using Couples and Finances Theory as a conceptual framework, this phenomenological study investigates the connection between financial history, approach to financial management, and marital quality to offer implications for financial counselors and therapists. The ways couples manage their finances are diverse, as are the impacts on their relationships. Couples’ financial histories lead to diverse management processes influenced by financial stressors, communication, and shared values. Financial therapists and counselors should recognize that each person’s financial history affects the way they think about money, which can affect their ability to communicate about finances with a partner. Therapists can build on the experiences of couples reporting in this study to help alleviate financial stress, improve financial relationships, and ultimately enhance marital quality.

Family health and income: A two-sample replication.

The current study examined psychological and family health predictors of change over time in household income, using data from longitudinal studies of African American (N = 889, 93.5% female) and Mexican origin (N = 674, 100% female) families. Participants self-reported their household income, as well as their emotional, personality, and cognitive resources. Participant behavioral and physical resources were coded from observed family interactions. Although income did not predict change in any personal resources, all five classes of personal resources (i.e., emotional, personality, cognitive, behavioral, physical) predicted change in income across a 10-year span (Study 1) and a 6-year span (Study 2). Income is potentially caused by these personal resources, or both income and these personal resources share a common cause. The dominant approach of assuming income causes personal and family health needs stronger support.