Michelle L. Toews

It's a Whole New World: A Qualitative Exploration of College Students' Definitions of and Strategies for College Success

This study used focus group interviews to explore 22 students’ definitions of and strategies for college success. Students’ narratives revealed their definitions of success were multifaceted and encompassed how they were doing academically, their degree of social integration, and their perceived ability to navigate the college environment. In addition, although students described a range of strategies that contributed to their academic success, their reports revealed they did not always employ those strategies. These findings affirm that institutions should continue providing services that support students’ academic success, while also promoting their personal development and social integration.

Men’s Gendered Constructions of Intimate Partner Violence as Predictors of Court-Mandated Batterer Treatment Drop Out

The purpose of this study was to explore the meaning men make of their violence toward intimate partners and to examine if and how these meanings and constructions of violence predicted who drops out of batterer treatment prior to program completion. We used both qualitative and quantitative data collected from 154 men court-mandated to participate in a batterer intervention program. The qualitative findings indicated that the men in this sample minimized and denied responsibility for the violence they used towards their intimate partners while simultaneously rationalizing and justifying their violent behavior. Such findings provide insight into how denial and minimization and, more broadly, men’s constructions of masculinity might predict their tendency to drop out of batterer treatment. Furthermore, building upon our qualitative findings, logistic regression analysis revealed that men who were lower income, no longer intimately involved with the women they abused, and who reported lower levels of physical violence and higher levels of hostility were more likely to drop out of the batterer treatment program.

Exploring Parental Factors, Adjustment, and Academic Achievement Among White and Hispanic College Students

The purpose of this study was to examine whether college adjustment mediated the relationship between parental factors, such as parental attachment, parental education, and parental expectations, and academic achievement among White and Hispanic first-year college students. We found that adjustment mediated the relationship between parental factors—quality of the parental relationship and parental education—and GPA for White students. However, none of the parental factors explained GPA for Hispanic students. These findings support previous research asserting that correlates of academic achievement might vary across ethnic groups.

Students' Intentions and Social Support as Predictors of Self-Reported Academic Behaviors: A Comparison of First- and Continuing-Generation College Students.

The purpose of this analysis was to examine academic intentions, parental support, and peer support as predictors of self-reported academic behaviors among a sample of 329 first- and continuing-generation college freshmen. Regression analyses revealed that different variables predicted academic behaviors for the three groups examined (students whose parents had no college experience, some college experience, or a college degree). Specifically, all three independent variables—intention, parental support, and peer support—were predictive of self-reported academic behavior for students whose parents had at least a bachelors degree. However, peer support was the only variable predictive of academic behavior for the students whose parents had some college experience and intention was the only significant predictor for first-generation college students.

Male-initiated partner abuse during marital separation prior to divorce

The purpose of this study was to assess predictors of male-initiated psychological and physical partner abuse during the separation process prior to divorce among a sample of 80 divorced fathers who reported no physical violence during their marriages. The predictor variables examined were male gender-role identity, female-initiated divorces, dependence on one’s former wife, depression, anxiety, and coparental conflict. Through ordinary least square (OLS) regression techniques, it was found that male gender-role identity was positively related to male-initiated psychological abuse during separation. Logistic regression analyses revealed that male-initiated psychological abuse, anxiety level, coparental conflict, and dependence on one’s former spouse increased the odds of a man engaging in physical abuse. However, depression decreased the odds of separation physical abuse. The models predicting both male-initiated psychological abuse (F = 2.20, p < .05, R2 = .15) and physical violence during the separation process were significant (Model χ2 = 35.00, df = 7, p < .001).

I Learned the Bad Things I'm Doing : Adolescent Mothers' Perceptions of a Relationship Education Program

The purpose of this study was to explore what pregnant and parenting adolescent mothers felt they learned from a relationship education program. A total of 148 primarily Hispanic adolescent mothers who participated in the Strengthening Relationships Program took part in focus-group interviews. Narratives revealed that adolescent mothers perceived the program as effective in changing how they communicated and dealt with conflict with their partners. Specifically, they reported understanding the importance of communication and effective conflict-resolution strategies. In addition, narratives revealed adolescent mothers grew in self-awareness as a result of their program participation. These findings affirm the importance of providing relationship education to adolescent parents.

Women's Use of Aggression Toward Their Former Spouses During Marital Separation

Abstract The purpose of this study was to assess predictors of womens use of verbal and physical aggression during marital separation among a sample of 147 divorced mothers. The predictor variables examined were womens self-esteem, mastery, attachment style, gender-role identity, and husbands verbal and physical aggression during separation. Hierarchical multiple regressions revealed that womens psychological characteristics and mens use of aggression toward their wives during separation were predictive of womens use of verbal aggression toward their husbands during marital separation. In addition, womens psychological characteristics and use of verbal aggression toward their husbands during separation and mens use of aggression toward their wives during separation predicted womens use of physical aggression toward their husbands during separation.