Jonathon J. Beckmeyer

Implications of In-Person Visits for Incarcerated Parents’ Family Relationships and Parenting Experience

Using data from 69 incarcerated parents, we examine the associations of in-person visitation frequency and problems with offender-child closeness, offender-caregiver relationship quality, and offenders’ parenting distress and coparenting. Visitation problems, but not frequency, were associated with greater offender-child closeness, visitation frequency and problems were associated with offender parenting distress, and there was a trend association between visit problems and coparenting. Neither visitation frequency nor problems were associated with offender-caregiver relationship quality. Results highlight the importance of in-person visitation for offender-child relationships and offenders’ parenting experience during incarceration as well as the need to distinguish between the frequency of those visits and the problems that occur during them.

Comparing the associations between three types of adolescents' romantic involvement and their engagement in substance use

Using data on 838 middle adolescents, the current study compared the associations between three types of romantic involvement and alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use. Off-time (i.e., serious romantic relationships) but not on-time (i.e., romantic socializing and dating) types of involvement were expected to be associated with increased odds of using each substance. Participating in romantic socializing was unrelated to substance use and dating was only positively associated with alcohol use. Participation in serious romantic relationships, however, was associated with an increased likelihood of having used each substance. Associations did not differ between males and females. Based on these results some but not all forms of romantic involvement may place middle adolescents at risk for substance use. Implications for parents and relationship education are discussed.

Experiences With Coparenting Scale: A Semantic Differential Measure of Postdivorce Coparenting Satisfaction:

Using data from 280 divorced or separated parents, we provide initial evidence of the psychometric properties and validity of the Experiences with Coparenting Scale (ECS), an 11-item semantic differential measure of divorced parents’ satisfaction with their coparenting relationships. The ECS consisted of a single factor with high internal reliability. ECS scores were significantly associated with self-reported coparenting behaviors and intentions, even after controlling for demographic variables and participants’ positive feelings about their ex-spouses. Therefore, we conclude that the ECS is a brief measure of the affective domain of postdivorce coparenting. We discuss how the ECS can be used by researchers to enhance their understanding of the development and impacts of postdivorce coparenting and by practitioners as part of family programs for divorced and divorcing parents.

Using biological samples for youth ATOD survey validation

Abstract Objective: To identify the conditions under which (1) youth would prefer to participate and (2) parents would allow their child to participate in the collection of biological samples for the purposes of validating a self-report alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) survey. Design: Focus groups were held with youth in grades six through 12 and parents of youth entering those grades in the pending academic year. Setting: This study was conducted in Monroe County, Indiana, USA. Method: Six focus groups were held with a total of 23 youth and eight parents in June and July of 2014. Participants were recruited using a tiered convenience sample. All utterances were transcribed verbatim in real time. Content was entered into the DeDoose software package for mixed methods analyses. Results: Significantly more youth respondents would assent to toenail and saliva collection than to urine or venous blood collection. Collection of the latter bio-specimens was perceived to be uncomfortable or was associated with punishment. Parents and youth suggested several ways to lessen concerns, such as adding more participant autonomy to procedures. Conclusion: Input from various stakeholders is important to the implementation of an ATOD bio-validation study in schools to address prevailing concerns and promote participation. Decisions about study procedures should consider the views/suggestions of students, parents, and school personnel, in conjunction with requirements to retain methodological rigor and purpose of the study. The results indicate an inherent tension between a researcher’s ability to simultaneously accommodate requests and adhere to desired methodological precision.

Family-Centered Care and Positive Developmental Outcomes for Youth With Special Health Care Needs: Variations Across Family Structures:

Drawing on a social determinants of health framework, we evaluated associations between perceived family-centered care (FCC) and positive developmental outcomes for youth with special health care needs across six different family structures (married biological families, cohabiting biological families, married stepfamilies, cohabiting stepfamilies, divorced/separated single-mother families, and never-married single-mother families). Using data from the 2011-2012 National Survey of Children’s Health, we found that married biological families perceive greater FCC than do other family structures. Perceived FCC was positively associated with all three positive youth outcomes evaluated (children’s health, participation in extracurricular activities, and flourishing) in married biological families, and two of the three outcomes (children’s health and flourishing) in married stepfamilies and divorced/separated single-mother families. Implications for health care provision and future research with structurally diverse families are discussed.

Identifying Demographic and Attitudinal Correlates of Young Adults’ Safer-Sex Self-Efficacy

ABSTRACT Objectives: Using data from young-adult college students (N = 207), we identified demographic and attitudinal correlates of safer-sex self-efficacy. Female respondents reported higher levels of safer-sex self-efficacy than males. Methods: Participants completed a self-report survey about their sexual attitudes, values, and experiences. Results: In regression analyses only, the importance of safer-sex practices was related to safer sex self-efficacy in both men and women. Womens safersex self-efficacy was associated with additional demographic factors and sexual beliefs. Conclusions: The factors identified in this study may serve as intervention targets for young-adult sexual health programs. Reinforcing the importance of safer-sex practices may be particularly effective in increasing young adults’ safer-sex self-efficacy.

Romantic Relationship Status and Emerging Adult Well-Being: Accounting for Romantic Relationship Interest

Using data from 744 unmarried emerging adults, we tested the associations between their romantic relationship status and well-being while accounting for single participants’ romantic relationship interest. Specifically, we compared the depressive symptoms, life satisfaction, and loneliness of those who were (1) romantically involved, (2) single not/slightly interested in a romantic relationship, and (3) single very interested in a romantic relationship. The single very interested group reported greater depressive symptoms than those in the other two groups, who did not differ from each other. Emerging adults in the romantically involved group reported greater life satisfaction than both groups of single participants who did not differ from one another. Those in the romantically involved group reported less loneliness than both groups of single emerging adults, and the single not/slightly interested group reported less loneliness than the single very interested group. Results are discussed within the context of emerging adult romantic development.

Non-intercourse and intercourse hookup intentions, drinking expectancies, and college students’ heavy drinking

ABSTRACT Background: The current study tested the associations between college students’ intentions to hookup (i.e., specifically intending to go out and engage in sexual behavior with a non-romantic partner) and self-reported heavy drinking. Further, social and sexual enhancement drinking expectancies were tested as moderators of those associations. Methods: College students (N = 235) reported (a) if they had specifically intended to hookup (reported separately for non-intercourse and intercourse hookup intentions) in the past 6 months; (b) social and sexual enhancement drinking expectancies; and (c) heavy drinking (a composite of past-30-day drinking frequency, typical amount consumed per drinking occasion, and how many times they got drunk). Data were analyzed using a hierarchical multiple regression (HMR), controlling for demographic variables. Results: Non-intercourse hookup intentions were positively associated with heavy drinking, but intercourse hookup intentions were not. Sexual but not social enhancement drinking expectancies moderated the associations between both types of hookup intentions and heavy drinking. Among those who had intended a non-intercourse hookup, heavy drinking was greater when they also reported high (+1 SD) sexual enhancement drinking expectancies. For intercourse hookup intentions, higher (+1 SD) sexual enhancement drinking expectancies were associated with less heavy drinking. Conclusions: Pursuing non-intercourse hookups appears to be associated with heavy drinking, but intercourse hookup intention is not. Sexual enhancement drinking expectancies moderated those associations. Thus, an interest in some types of casual sexual experiences may promote heavy drinking among college students.

Family Structure and Family Management Practices: Associations With Positive Aspects of Youth Well-Being:

Using data from a national sample of 15-year-olds (N = 681), we tested if four family management practices (parental knowledge, behavioral control, parental academic involvement, and unsupervised time with peers) differed between family structures (i.e., biological-parent, stepfather, or single-mother family). We then identified the family management practices associated with positive youth well-being (psychosocial maturity, positive friendship networks, and school bonding) within each family structure. Parental knowledge, academic involvement, and behavioral control were greater in biological-parent than single-mother families. Stepfather families only differed from biological-parent and single-mother families on parental academic involvement. Although family management practices were associated with youth well-being in all family structures, the specific family management practices associated with each aspect of youth well-being varied across structures. Results have implications for how family-based interventions might be adjusted to better account for the specific characteristics of biological-parent, stepfather, and single-mother families.