Miguel Ángel García-Martín

A Structural Model of the Effects of Organized Leisure Activities on the Well-Being of Elder Adults in Spain

Abstract This work analyses the psychological effects of organized leisure activities on the elderly people that participated in them. The study was carried out with a sample of 122 people using the services of a day care center with ages ranging from 50 years to 82 years (mean = 67.6 years). The sample was distributed into four activity groups: maintenance exercise, handcrafts, computing, and art. There was also a control group made up of people applying for these activities who were on a waiting list. A prepost methodology was used to analyze the changes found in the following variables: Social Support, Loneliness, Life Satisfaction, Depression, Perceived Control, Social Self-Efficacy, and Self-Perceived Health. The adjustment indicators obtained partially confirm the model we proposed. Thus, participation in these activities contributes to reducing the level of depression and loneliness in the participants and increases their level of life satisfaction, and perceived control in their lives.

Impact of the parenting style of foster parents on the behaviour problems of foster children.

BACKGROUND Few studies have analysed the effects of the parenting style used by foster carers on childrens behaviour problems. This study examines the role played by the quality of the emotional relationship with foster carers and the kind of discipline they use as regard internalizing and externalizing problems among foster children. METHODS Participants were 104 foster children (56 boys and 48 girls) and their respective foster families. The Child Behaviour Checklist, the Affect and Communication Scale, and the Rules and Demands Scale were completed by foster parents. A series of linear regression analyses were performed using the stepwise method. RESULTS The main findings were as follows: an authoritarian parenting style explained the internalizing problems presented by foster children (11% of the variance); criticism/rejection, authoritarian parenting and permissive parenting explained externalizing problems (37% of the variance); and criticism/rejection and authoritarian parenting explained total problems (29% of the variance). These results indicate that criticism/rejection on the part of foster parents, as well as the use of inappropriate parenting styles (authoritarian and permissive), has an important effect in relation to the behaviour problems of foster children. CONCLUSIONS This highlights the key role that foster carers play in terms of tackling the behaviour problems that foster children present. The findings also suggest that preparation for fostering should focus especially on ways of helping foster parents both to acquire positive parenting strategies and to avoid authoritarian and permissive parenting.

Cross-Cultural Comparison of Personality Traits, Attachment Security, and Satisfaction With Relationships as Predictors of Subjective Well-Being in India, Sweden, and the United States:

Personality traits like Neuroticism and Extroversion, Satisfaction With Relationships, and Attachment Security are among the most important predictors of subjective well-being (SWB). However, the relative contribution of these predictors to SWB is seldom tested, and even more rarely tested cross-culturally. In this study, we replicate and extend Galinha, Oishi, Pereira, Wirtz, and Esteves, aiming to identify the strongest predictors of SWB, and in what way that contribution is universal or culture-specific, across such collectivist-individualist countries as India, Sweden, and the United States (N = 1,622). Structural equation modeling showed that Satisfaction With Relationships is a stronger predictor of SWB in India, while Neuroticism is a stronger predictor of SWB in Sweden and the United States, results consistent with prior Portuguese and Mozambican samples. These findings suggest that Satisfaction With Relationships is probably a stronger predictor of SWB in more collectivistic and less developed countries, while low Neuroticism is a stronger predictor of SWB in more individualistic and highly developed countries. Across all samples, Attachment Security and Extroversion showed very weak or nonsignificant effects on SWB above the contribution of Neuroticism and Satisfaction With Relationships, consistent with prior results. Neuroticism significantly mediated the relationship between Attachment Security, SWB, and Satisfaction With Relationships.

Personality, activities, and well-being: a study based on women in late adulthood.

The purpose of this study was to explore comparatively personality variables, subjective well-being variables, and participation in daily life activities in 150 women aged 50 to 82 years with different employment status. Moreover, we also analyzed the extent to which personality and participation in daily life activities accounted for life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect. Results from analyses of variance showed that there were significant differences between women with different working status. Multiple regression analyses revealed that self-esteem, optimism, and social activities accounted for a significant amount of variance in predicting life satisfaction and positive affect.

Placement stability in non-kinship foster care: variables associated with placement disruption

In Spain research has been conducted into the outcomes of foster care, although there is a need for further analysis, especially as regards the variables associated with placement disruption. In 2008 (T1) was collated information on all foster placements that were registered in three Spanish provinces. In 2014 (T2), data were gathered by reviewing the childrens case notes and through interviews with the social worker responsible for each case. The resulting sample comprised 104 non-kinship foster children in long-term foster care who were being fostered in 86 families. The results obtained at T2 showed that the percentage of children who were still living with the same family (68.3%) was greater than the proportion of children whose circumstances had changed (31.7%). The social workers considered that placement disruption had occurred in 27 of the 33 cases. One of the main finding was placement disruption was associated with the older age at the time of being fostered and the emotional relationship quality between children and foster carers. A regression analysis showed that low levels of warmth and communication in the relationship between child and foster carers were shown to be a predictor of placement breakdown. Implications for practice are discussed.

The views of birth families regarding access visits in foster care

Summary This study aims to give voice to parents and gather their views about contact visits in foster care. Participants were 23 birth families who had contact visits with 35 children in non-kinship foster care. Semistructured individual interviews were conducted in order to explore two key aspects: the parents’ opinions regarding the contact visits and the main areas they felt needed improving. The interviews were transcribed and the transcripts were examined using an inductive method by Atlas.ti. Findings The main themes to emerge concerned their general view of contact visits, the input and support from social workers, the contribution of foster families, the contact venue, and the organization of visits. In general, the birth families’ comments were positive about the support and treatment received from social workers. However, they also mentioned certain aspects should be improved, such as supervision during visits. Applications The results suggest several ways to improve social work practice. Social workers should aim to involve birth families more in the process of drawing up contact arrangements and offering birth families adequate preparation prior to visits. Child protection agencies also have a role to play in relation to improving the facilities in which visits are held, as well as their overall organization, such as, the venue should provide a space that enables everyday family relationships to take place, and in the absence of this, attempts should be made to organize visits outside the official meeting place.

What do foster families and social workers think about children’s contact with birth parents? A focus group analysis:

This study analyzes the opinions of foster families and social workers regarding the benefits and problems associated with contact visits. Data were gathered through two focus groups, comprising social workers and foster carers, respectively. Both groups agreed that visits were useful for maintaining foster children’s attachment to their birth family, for enhancing their psychological wellbeing and for helping them to understand the real situation of their birth family. Regarding difficulties, the two groups highlighted problems of coordination between social workers and foster families, as well as a lack of support and preparation for foster carers, children, and birth families.