Rebecca A. Adams

Maternal Stress in Caring for Children with Feeding Disabilities: Implications for Health Care Providers

The purposes of this study were to compare the stress experienced by mothers of children with feeding disorders to the stress experienced by mothers of children with other childhood disabilities, to compare the stress experienced by mothers of children who are tube-fed with that of mothers of children with disabilities who do not require tube feeding, to ascertain the types of stressors that mothers in both groups experience, and to determine their coping resources. Subjects were mothers of children with disabilities who had recently been discharged or were receiving outpatient care from a private rehabilitation facility in a Midwestern city. The Short Form of the Questionnaire on Resources and Stress instrument and open-ended questions developed by the researchers were used. Results were analyzed using analysis of variance. Results indicate that mothers of children requiring tube feeding experienced significantly greater stress than mothers of children with disabilities who do not require tube feedings. Mothers of children requiring tube feeding also receive less support from family and friends. To assist dietitians, other health care professionals, and university instructors in developing family-centered treatment programs, we recommend including fathers, friends, or relatives in the care and feeding process; discovering ways to include the tube-fed child in family mealtime activities; increasing public awareness of tube-feeding issues; organizing support groups; and educating dietetics students about the unique stresses experienced by mothers of children who are tube-fed.

Components of a model adolescent AIDS / drug abuse prevention program: a Delphi Study.

The purpose of this study is to specify important components of a model adolescent AIDS/drug abuse prevention program. A modified two-wave Delphi technique was used to intensively survey a nationally targeted group of 10 drug abuse experts and 11 HIV/AIDS experts. Panelists from both groups emphasized the importance of providing specific accurate information on AIDS and drug use. They also recommended behavioral skills training that extends to all areas of the adolescents lives. They agreed that it was important to adapt the program to the specific subculture of the group for whom the program is intended. Implications for family life specialists therapists adolescent AIDS/drug abuse prevention specialists program evaluators and policymakers are discussed. (authors)

Cognitive Coping Strategies of Newlyweds Adjusting to Marriage

The current study focused on the cognitive strategies newlyweds used to cope with distress due to adjustments during the transition to marriage. Forty-two recently married husbands and wives (21 couples) were interviewed, and a qualitative thematic analysis was used in the investigation. Several themes emerged regarding the types of cognitive coping strategies that have potential to add nuanced understanding of some formerly identified cognitive processes, which may have helped maintain satisfying relationships in the midst of unexpected adjustments. The implications for explaining the paradoxical nature of the transition to marriage and for further research and application toward premarital education are discussed.

College Students' Attribution of Blame in Father–Daughter Incest

Incest is one of the most repugnant things that can occur. If the educational programs have been effective, it would appear that individuals would not blame the victim. The Jackson Incest Blame Scale was administered to students in marriage and family classes at a midwestern university. Female students strongly supported the concept that women being treated as sex objects and sex and violence in the media influence offenders to commit incest. Discussion raises questions about the potential incongruent treatment of women in university family and consumer sciences departmental curricula.

Modeling the Scholarship of Teaching Through Four Family Policy Assignments

This article describes the scholarship of teaching and discusses how it can be used in a family policy class. An Internet scavenger hunt, the use of weekly news articles for discussing family policy, a field trip to the state capitol, and a research project are the assignments described. Each assignment is followed by a discussion on how content, process, and premise reflections, components of the scholarship of teaching, can be used to evaluate and refine student achievement as well as the teachers effectiveness skills. Rubrics for evaluating the assignments are included in the appendices. This article is designed to be helpful to faculty who teach family policy and may be adapted by other teaching professionals for a variety of disciplines.

A Process for Assessing Standards‐Based Curriculum: Lessons Learned From a High School Interpersonal Relationships Curriculum Assessment

Standards-based curricula and assessment are common—and somewhat controversial—educational practices that aim to improve education through teacher and/or administrator accountability. The processes of developing and implementing standards-based assessments require significant planning and effort. When part of the process is to use an existing test bank, the numbers and types of test items available in the test bank and whether they equally represent the standards to be assessed ultimately affect the outcome of the standardized test. As members of a team funded to develop a model for creating a statewide assessment instrument for an interpersonal relationships high school course, the authors offer several observations and recommendations that may be useful for others engaged in a similar endeavor.