Loretta L. Pecchioni

Personal accounts of the role of God in health and illness among older rural African American and White residents

This paper addresses how older rural residents viewthe relationship between God and both health andillness. We employed semi-structured interviews andqualitative analytical strategies with 15 AfricanAmericans residing in predominantly African Americancommunities and 13 Whites living in nearbypredominantly White communities, in order to identifysimilarities and differences in views about a divineothers roles in health and illness. African Americanswere more likely than Whites to describe theirreligious lives in personal terms, in ways suggestingthere is a set of religious truths that do not requirefurther investigation or analysis, and in a mannerindicating that religious belief permeated theirlives. They were also more likely to describe specificrole expectations for God in health and illness. Theresults point to the substantial cultural diversitythat exists in small rural areas, and to the need forhealth care workers to be sensitive to thehealth-related religious beliefs of patients.

Health Information Sources of Individuals With Cancer and Their Family Members

The purpose of this study was to understand health information sources of individuals and families impacted by a cancer diagnosis. Overall, the findings support the Freimuth, Stein, and Kean (1989) model of health information acquisition. The cancer patients and family members who participated reported having significantly more health information along the continuum of cancer care, from causes to prevention, after a cancer diagnosis. Although a wide variety of interpersonal and mediated information sources are available, participants reported that the only consistently (88.1%) used source of information was doctors. The most important information sources were, in descending order, doctors, family members, nurses, friends, the Internet, other medical personnel, and other patients. Individuals, however, were most satisfied with family and friends as sources of information, followed by nurses, other patients, and doctors. Patients and family members rated the importance of and their satisfaction with various information sources differently. Patients rated nurses, other medical personnel, and support groups as more important than did family members, and patients were significantly more satisfied with doctors and nurses, whereas family members were significantly more satisfied with the Internet.

Relational listening: A grounded theoretical model

This research seeks to examine, and provide a theoretical grounding for, those dimensions that prospectively characterize the construct of relational listening. First, a rationale for examining relational listening is provided. Second, an account analysis utilizing data from 123 relational dyads was conducted to examine the relational nature of listening. Third, a grounded theoretical model of relational listening is introduced. Finally, implications from introducing a grounded theoretical model of relational listening are discussed. Assessing relational listening provides communication scholars the opportunity to identify those implicit, taken‐for‐granted, assumptions that prospectively govern everyday relational interaction.

The Influence of Autonomy and Paternalism on Communicative Behaviors in Mother-Daughter Relationships Prior to Dependency

Parents and their adult children rarely have discussions regarding caregiving preferences, especially before the onset of dependency. Families develop decision-making practices during caregiving, ideally, ones that maintain the care recipients autonomy. Maintaining autonomy is essential because limiting autonomy leads to potentially negative health consequences. This study examined the attitudes of older, independent mothers and their adult daughters (n = 36 dyads) as well as their communication behaviors during decision making. All the mothers and daughters (100%) held strong beliefs in shared autonomy. Mothers (55.6%) and daughters (58.3%) were about evenly split in their strength of belief in independent autonomy. More mothers (63.9%) held strong beliefs in paternalism than did daughters (36.1%). In their conversations, daughters talked more when the mother and daughter held stronger beliefs in paternalism. These findings suggest that an individuals attitudes toward paternalism influence who controls conversations between parents and their adult children regarding caregiving, even before the parent has begun to show any signs of dependency. Once caregiving begins, it can be too late to change already ingrained patterns of decision making. Although this study takes a step toward establishing an understanding of how families develop decision-making processes utilized during caregiving, the sample size and composition limit generalizability. Future studies should follow families, as the parents make the transition from independence to dependence, to develop a better understanding of the factors involved in successfully making such a critical transition in the familys life.

Communicative dynamics of police-civilian encounters: South African and American interethnic data

Research in the American West, China, and Taiwan has shown that officers’ communication accommodative practices (and attributed trust in them) can be more potent predictors of satisfaction with the police than are the sociodemographic characteristics of those judging. With Black and White respondents, this study continues this line of work in Louisiana and South Africa and tests a new model about the relationships among perceived officer accommodation, trust in the police, and reported voluntary compliance from civilians. In addition to an array of differences that emerged between nations and ethnicities, officer accommodativeness indirectly predicted civilian compliance through trust. The hypothesized model was partially supported and culturally-sensitive.

Beyond Entertainment Motivations and Outcomes of Video Game Playing by Older Adults and Their Younger Family Members

The percentage of older adults who are active gamers has increased tremendously in recent years. Although research shows that video games enhance physical and cognitive well-being in older adults, the role of video games in enhancing social interactions has been relatively understudied. We examined the habits, preferences, motivations, and outcomes of video gameplay among older and younger adults who play games with their family members. The findings reveal that sharing in video games does foster relationships and connections while producing positive emotions for both generations. As a consequence, game designers should take into consideration ways to enhance these social aspects of gameplay.

Digital natives and digital media in the college classroom: assignment design and impacts on student learning

The use of multimodal learning techniques is becoming more widespread, however, the pedagogical discourse surrounding its implementation into classroom and course design is complicated as these technologies are either demonized or viewed as the panacea for curriculum ills. Educators are faced with unique challenges when investigating how to experiment with the best ways to produce classroom experiences that use digital media. This case study examines the implementation challenges and learning outcomes related to such an experiment by reviewing and assessing the use of digital media in a health communication course, specifically through the development of documentaries. Creating an effective assignment requires addressing the development of technical skills along with course content and providing guidance and feedback throughout a semester-long project. Creating an effective assignment is pointless without sufficient learning outcomes. Because this assignment engaged students with both the course content and digital media, their learning experiences were enhanced and improved their group collaboration, critical thinking and media literacy skills.

Relational Listening II: Form & Variation across Social and Personal Relationships

Abstract This research examines, and provides theoretical extension regarding, those processes that characterize the construct of relational listening. First, a rationale for the continued examination of listening as everyday relational activity is provided. Second, data generated among relational partners representing (a) acquaintance, (b) friend, (c) good friend, (d) best friend, (e) romantic friend, and (f) relative relationships are analyzed in light of a grounded theoretical model of relational listening (Halone & Pecchioni, in press). Finally, implications for theory and research concerning listening and relational communication are discussed. Assessing relational listening across an array of social and personal relationships concurrently accomplishes objectives of (a) conceptually extending the knowledge base on relational listening while (b) providing scholars with comparative insight into those processes that govern the course and conduct of everyday relating.

The Impact of Living in a Rural County With No Nursing Home on Utilization Rates and Admission Mobility Patterns

This article uses long-term care data from one state (Virginia) to examine four hypotheses: (a) Rural counties are more likely than urban counties to have no nursing facility, (b) counties without a nursing facility will have lower nursing home utilization rates than counties having a nursing facility, (c) individuals admitted to nursing facilities who originate in counties with no facility will tend to experience moves of greater distance than their counterparts originating in counties having a facility, and (d) those admitted to nursing facilities originating in counties with no facility will tend to move to more urban settings. These hypotheses were supported by the analysis. The findings suggest that access to nursing home care may be more limited for individuals who live in counties without nursing facilities. Long-term care policy makers should give careful consideration to access in their methods for determining need for nursing home care and long-term care services in rural areas.

Family Matters: The Role of Intergenerational Gameplay in Successful Aging

Successful aging in Western cultures is associated with remaining independent based on physical and mental health while also remaining engaged with others. Video game play has been found to enhance physical and mental health in older adults, however engagement with others has received less attention from scholars. This study examines the multiple reasons older adults provide for playing video games with family members, focusing on how this process maintains intergenerational relationships. While design issues and negative attitudes may prevent some older adults from playing video games, we offer solutions to overcome these barriers.