Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Family and community resource framework'

Mental health reflects an array of causal influences that span biological, psychological, and social circumstances, with resultant underlying causal pathways to poor mental health outcomes in childhood that are complex. Key features of this complexity are reciprocal interactions between person and environment that take place over time. The core of this thesis seeks to attend to the complexity of development to move the field of developmental health forward toward greater explanation, and more successful prediction and prevention. The focal point of the thesis is the psychosocial determinants of childhood mental health, the resource domain of the developing child, and the interplay between characteristics of the individual child, the family, and the community. The eventual goal is to better understand why and how socioeconomic circumstances impact on developmental health. One component of this thesis focuses on the expansion of extant developmental theory. The other component focuses on the development of an analytic strategy that more appropriately reflects the intricacies of this theoretical expansion. In the process, data are analysed, principally as a heuristic strategy, to illustrate the analytical approach needed to support the theoretical framework. The specification of a bioecological conceptual framework suitable to guide research and policy in developmental health is the first principal objective of the thesis. A critical examination of the resource framework proposed by Brooks-Gunn, Brown, Duncan, and Anderson Moore (1995) reveals it to be centred on family and community resources, but otherwise silent with respect to the physical and psychological resources of the child. The quintessential point of this thesis is that theory in developmental health must be able to account for the contribution individuals make to their own development. A modified resource framework is proposed that acknowledges financial, physical, human, and social capital, within the domains of the individual child, the family, and the community. The second principal objective of the thesis, the development of analytical methods that focus on the individual child and the complexity of data generated by this theoretical approach, is then introduced. Theory and method are thus integrated when comprehensive measures of characteristics in multiple domains across developmental periods are modeled using longitudinal data from the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study (Newnham, Evans, Michael, Stanley, & Landau, 1993). The mothers of 2,860 children were enrolled at 18 weeks in pregnancy and the children have been followed at birth, one, two, three, five, and eight years of age. Eighty-nine per cent (2,537 /2,860) of families were available for follow-up at eight and 74 per cent (2,126/2,860) of families responded. Extensive demographic, psychological, and developmental data were available for the children and their families and a limited amount of data were available for the communities in which they reside. A measure of mental health morbidity, the Child Behaviour Checklist (Achenbach, 1991), was available for the children at two, five, and eight years of age. In the first instance, dichotomous summary variables are derived for the demographic, psychological, and developmental variables of interest. Variables are then selected for inclusion in one of several explanatory models. To create a mathematical representation of resource characteristics, the information for each child is concatenated as a series of binary strings. Frequency tabulation is then used to aggregate the data and odds ratios are calculated to determine the degree of risk associated with each string of code, or pattern of factors relative to a nominated mental health outcome. The results provided a scaffold from which this theoretical and analytical approach is compared and contrasted with the reviewed literature. Two principal themes of investigation are pursued. The first theme to be examined is the interplay between characteristics of the child, family, and community and the contribution children make to their own development. The specific approach models the interaction between selected characteristics of the child, family and community in each of four developmentally significant time periods. The theoretical position adopted in the present study suggests that the effect of any personal or contextual factor on later development, if a relationship does truly exist, is most likely to be differential. That is, it is a combination of influences that determines developmental outcomes for children, not any single factor acting independently. The modelling process demonstrates that, for the children involved, personal and contextual factors impact mental health differentially depending on various other individual, family and/or community characteristics. The modelling process identifies patterns of factors that impact relatively small, but significant, numbers of children because the models focus on the effect for individual children rather than the effect for the group. For example, one model suggests that the effect of intra-uterine growth restriction for the group as a whole may be minimal, but the impact for some children could be critical depending on the combination of family and community influences, such as the mothers level of education, the family’s experience of significant life stress, and residence in a relatively disadvantaged community. The second theme to be examined is the possibility that the accumulation of resource deficits or risk characteristics, over time, amplifies the likelihood of mental health problems in childhood. The approach models selected characteristics of the child in each of the four periods of development collectively, and it also models selected characteristics spanning each of the four time periods discretely. The results suggest that latency, pathway, and recency effects may operate simultaneously, and that timing and accumulated burden may both be important determinants of risk. For example, with regard to children whose family experienced life stress, these three effects operated in a systematic way to increase the degree of risk of a mental health problem. In summary, the aggregation of data at the individual level is a productive approach in seeking to explain population level social phenomena. While seemingly paradoxical, the identification of the joint, interactive effects between individual, family, and community characteristics, better allows for the quantification of family and community characteristics operating through multiple causal pathways.

This study examined how an Early Head Start and Head Start grantee, the Institute for Human and Social Development (IHSD), implemented the Office of Head Start’s research-based Parent, Family, and Community Engagement (PFCE) Framework. This study also evaluated IHSD’s performance and determined whether the organization accomplished its set intention of fostering family engagement in support of positive child development and education outcomes.

This formative, outcome-based program evaluation utilized qualitative and quantitative analysis to evaluate IHSD's systematic implementation of engagement. Parent survey data, interview transcripts, and a review of existing agency data provided a parent-oriented perspective on the IHSD’s engagement outcomes relative to the PFCE Framework.

Participants included parents of children in each of IHSD's five program options during 2012–2013 or 2013–2014. They participated by completing either a parent survey (n = 842) or an interview ( n = 12) regarding engagement-focused services, focusing on the parents’ perspectives of the services’ implementation and outcomes. Results from the surveys and interviews were analyzed with available IHSD data related to family services as well as child outcomes, including gains in social-emotional development and language and literacy development within the Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP). Results indicate that the children made improvement gains within the DRDP domains investigated. Parents surveyed and interviewed identified the program environment as engaging and named the staff’s helpfulness as responsible. Among the aspects of the program they were asked to rate, parents identified the strategies of parent training, parent leadership council membership, home activities, home visits, parent meetings, and volunteerism as ideal in meeting their needs.

In general, IHSD is a high-quality agency providing early childhood education that engages families and grows parent engagement by teaching parents to be their children’s advocates and teachers. The results of this study indicate that if IHSD continues to effectively implement strategies and incorporates feedback from these findings, the organization’s child development programs will likely continue to excel.

This paper examines the Army Community Covenant, a formal document intended to strengthen the official and unofficial relationships between U.S. Army posts in the United States with their surrounding civilian communities. Critical Discourse Analysis is applied to trace the genealogy of the verbal and visual constructs and semiotics of the document, from the rhetoric of George Washington that acculturated the Continental Army to the present day, and considering the perspectives of nationalism and familial relationships in the deliberate selection of key terminologies. This research concludes with the recognition of the documents' potential effects, both positive and negative, upon its intended participants and audience, and proposes extensions for further research in the areas of the U.S. Army and army families, as well as the perceptions of identity and struggles for representation that exist.
Master of Arts

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Florida, 2000.
Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains ix, 208 p.; also contains graphics. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 201-207).

This study explored the meaning of community engagement of older adults, within a social capital framework, in a community noted for its relatively high concentration of active, older adults. The multiple meanings of community engagement within the creation of a place of age were investigated using concepts derived from a social capital framework. A place of age is where older adults are integral to family life, participate in community life, and bring collective life experiences and wisdom to civic life. This research addresses gaps in the current literature about suburban places and the meanings of community engagement for an aging population within these places. The importance of this research lies with expanding the understanding of the multiple meanings of community engagement and the potential for reinforcing, through public policy, these meanings through the development and support of the social capital created by older adults in places of age. The research methodology was an in-depth case study analysis of West Saint Paul, Minnesota. In-person, semistructured interviews were conducted with 21 individuals, aged 65 years and older, who had been residents of West Saint Paul for at least 25 years. Findings of this study revealed multiple meanings of community and community engagement for study participants, but all had a strong sense of community relative to their neighborhoods and the city of West Saint Paul. All had well-developed social networks that involved family members, friends, and neighbors. Nearly all engaged in neighboring behaviors of helping out when needed and generally looking out for one another. All participants expressed a feeling of trust of others within their own neighborhoods, and most did not feel trusting of others beyond their neighborhoods. All participants had consistently voted, and all engaged in formal civic activities at some point in their lives. All participants, lifelong volunteers, were members of a Christian church, and much of their volunteer time was given to church activities. The key finding from this study was the important role of neighboring behaviors, faith-based affiliation, and family in the meaning of community engagement within each participant's life.
Ph. D.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether participation in a Family Resource\Youth Services Center New and Expectant Parenting Series had an impact on maternal and child health knowledge of parents and their future behavior choices. The study had two components. First, a telephone survey was conducted with 40 past program participants asking them nine questions concerning behavior and lifestyle choices in regards to child safety, breast or bottle feeding, immunizations, car seat use, etc. Secondly, thirty participants were given a pretest and posttest questionnaire. As a control group, there were 25 Lamaze class participants, who also completed the pre-test and posttest questionnaires. The questionnaire was a 20 item multiple choice instrument (Learning About Parenting Survey or LAPS) which measured maternal and child health knowledge in such areas as family planning; informed parenting; maternal health; basic baby care; breast-feeding; bottle-feeding; first aid; child's health including immunizations, child safety; nutrition; child development and discipline. Analysis of covariance was performed using the LAPS raw scores from the posttests as the dependent variable, the pretest scores as the covariate and the treatment as the independent variable. The results showed no significant difference in parenting knowledge between the individuals enrolled in the Family Resource\Youth Services Center's New and Expectant Parenting Series and the comparison group who did not take the course.

Collaborative conservation partnership frequency is increasing in natural resources management; however, few successful examples exist in the United States. These groups seek to address land stewardship through cooperative, communicative, bottom-up approaches that engage local stakeholders. A better understanding of member characteristics and successful group characteristics may enhance collaborative conservation partnership outcomes. A survey was conducted to quantify partnership member characteristics and advertising mediums. Results were compared with the National Woodland Owner Survey. Collaborative conservation partnership members tend to be well-educated, middle-aged, upper-middle class individuals with large landholdings. They span previously identified family forest owner clusters but may be classified as earlier adopters by Diffusion of Innovations theory. Word-of-mouth is the most common way members learn about partnership opportunities. Qualitative data was analyzed to identify key features related to the ability to achieve group goals. Multi-disciplinary literature review points to the likely influences of leadership, task type, social capital, resource inputs, processes, and temporal change attributes on collaborative conservation partnership goal achievement. Key informant interviews demonstrate that resource and social capital inputs derive disproportionately from particular actors, partnerships need flexibility to adapt to changes in available resources, leaders establish partnership activity levels, social capital is the foundation of resource access, and groups are diverse in the ways they deal with context-specific tasks, resources, and processes. Overall, collaborative conservation partnerships demonstrate potential to positively influence land stewardship and technology transfer. Growth requires expanding membership, establishing partnerships as a legitimate conservation medium, and maintaining diverse groups tailored to local contexts.
Master of Science

In 2011, the Head Start Office introduced the Parent, Family, and Community Engagement (PFCE) Framework to all Head Start programs (Department of Health and Human Services, 2011a). This framework was developed to increase parent involvement in getting children ready for kindergarten. The goal of the framework was to provide technical resources and skills to improve the parent involvement level in Head Start parent involvement activities. The goal of this study is to explore the perception of the role of the father and Head Start programs’ father involvement facts at eight selected Head Start programs.

Interview, survey, and activity observation were used. Specifically, the Paternal Involvement in Child Care Index (PICCI) score and father/father figures’ demographic information, family/community coordinator interview answers were gathered from the Head Start programs that participated in the study. Three statistical techniques, independent t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, and multiple-regression were used for quantitative data analysis, and qualitative data was generalized into a flow chart and a father involvement model based on Bronfenbrenner’s ecological system theory.

The goals of conserving nature have changed over the last decades, but setting aside areas for nature protection is still a major part of environmental efforts globally. Protected areas often include indigenous and local communities' territories, and although indigenous rights have been strengthened through international policies and laws, conflicts over land entitlement are still common. A couple of notable events internationally in the context of Human Rights and nature conservation discourses have marked a significant shift in the attitudes and approaches to the role of indigenous people and local communities in natural resource governance. Contemporary approaches enable them to define themselves and to own and manage land and natural resources. Domestic policy makers are faced with the challenge of creating national laws and policies to implement this contemporary approach. This thesis looks at the concept of ICCAs as a tool for facilitating participation of indigenous and local communities in natural resource management. It begins with an analysis of the form, nature, origins and value of ICCA's- and specifically key legal elements which should ideally be included in a legal framework to give domestic effect to them. This analysis indicates that in order to recognise and protect the indigenous people and local communities and for ICCAs to be a success, their land tenures and resource rights have to be legally secured, they have to be deliberately involved in management of natural resources and they have to enjoy the benefits that arise as a result of their input and use their traditional knowledge to protect and conserve natural resources. The dissertation then turns to consider whether these elements are present in Kenya's legal framework. 2010 is used as a benchmark because of the significant reform introduced giving an edge in the way indigenous people and local communities and their contribution to natural resource management were recognised.

The impact of Internet technology on critical thinking is of growing interest among researchers. However, there still remains much to explore in terms of how critical thinking can be fostered through online environments for higher education. Ten years ago, Garrison, Anderson, and Archer (2000) published an article describing the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework which provided an outline of three core elements that were able to describe and measure a collaborative and positive educational experience in an online learning environment, namely teaching presence (design, facilitation, and direct instruction), social presence (the ability of learners to project themselves socially and emotionally), and cognitive presence (the extent to which learners are able to construct and confirm meaning through sustained reflection and discourse). This dissertation extends the body of research surrounding the CoI framework and also the literature on developing critical thinking in online environments by examining and exploring the extent to which teaching and social presence contribute to cognitive presence. The researcher was able to do this by offering 189 learners enrolled in 10 research methods courses and educational research courses an opportunity to use an innovative online resource (Research Design Learning Resource – RDLR) to assist them in learning about educational research and developing research proposals. By exploring how participants used this resource the researcher was able to gain insight into what factors contributed to a successful online learning experience and fostered cognitive presence. Quantitative and qualitative research approaches (mixed methods) were used in this study. The quantitative results indicated that both social and teaching presence had a strong positive relationship with cognitive presence and that learners generally perceived to have a positive learning experience using the RDLR. The qualitative findings helped elaborate the significant quantitative results and were organised into the following themes: making connections, multiple perspectives, resource design, being a self-directed learner, learning strategies, learning preferences, and barriers to cognitive presence. Future directions for critical thinking in online environments are discussed.

No Brasil, a qualificação dos recursos humanos para trabalhar na Estratégia Saúde da Família é baixa. Considerando a importância do Estado de São Paulo como pólo formador de recursos humanos para a área da saúde, estudou-se a situação dos egressos dos Programas de Residência em Medicina de Família e Comunidade (PRMFC) do Estado de São Paulo (ESP), que finalizaram a residência entre 2000 e 2009. Foi caracterizado o perfil sociodemográfico desses médicos e suas trajetórias profissionais após o término da residência médica, além da satisfação com o trabalho. Os dados foram coletados em 2012, por meio de um questionário eletrônico, dividido nos seguintes blocos: perfil sócio-econômico, atuação profissional, e atividades de Medicina de Família e Comunidade (MFC). Do universo de 234 egressos de 17 PRMFC do ESP, foram incluídos no estudo 129 pessoas de 14 instituições. A maior parte é do sexo feminino (58,1%) e está na faixa etária de 30 a 34 anos (55,8%). Moram predominantemente no ESP (79,1%) e em municípios de grande porte ou em metrópoles (89,1%). A graduação em medicina foi realizada principalmente na região sudeste (92,3%), sendo majoritária a participação do ESP (72,1%). Dos egressos respondentes, 98,4% atuam na área da saúde, sendo que 74,6% atuam na Medicina de Família e Comunidade e 48,1% atuam na docência. Referiram trabalhar em um posto de trabalho 33,9%, dois postos 33,9% e três postos 15,0%, estes não relacionados à docência. O local de trabalho atual mais frequente foi a Estratégia Saúde da Família (49,6%), seguida da Urgência e Emergência (26,7%), consultório particular e Unidade de Saúde Tradicional, com 19,7% cada e, por último, a gestão/gerência (18,9%). Em relação à trajetória acadêmica após a residência de MFC, 10,1% dos egressos fizeram outra residência médica, 57% realizaram especialização lato sensu e 31,8% stricto sensu. Possuem título de especialista em MFC 41,9% dos entrevistados. Mais da metade dos egressos participam da formação de médicos de família (52,7%), sendo que 83,7% têm interesse em realizar esse tipo de atividade. Dos médicos de família que atuam na área da MFC, a maioria está satisfeita ou muito satisfeita e 44,8% deles estão motivados. Conclui-se que os médicos de família egressos de PRMFC do ESP são predominantemente jovens e mulheres e moram em grandes centros urbanos, tendendo a se fixar mais no próprio ESP, local onde fizeram a residência médica. O local de atuação dos egressos é bastante diverso, já que a formação em MFC é ampla. Muitos egressos participam de atividades relacionadas à formação dos médicos de família sendo, portanto, peças fundamentais para a formação de novos profissionais capacitados para atuarem na Atenção Primária à Saúde. Além disso, a maioria deles está satisfeita com o trabalho na MFC, mas ainda faltam reconhecimento e valorização da especialidade.
In Brazil, human resource qualification to work in the Family Health Strategy is low. Considering that the State of São Paulo (SSP) is an important human resource forming center for healthcare, the situation of graduates in Residency Programs in Family and Community Medicine (RPFCM), who finalized their residency between 2000 and 2009, was assessed. The sociodemographic profile from these physicians was characterized, along with their professional careers after residency and job satisfaction. The data was collected in 2012 through an online questionnaire, which was divided into the following sections: socioeconomic profile, professional performance, and activities in Family and Community Medicine (FCM). From the total of 234 graduates from 17 RPFCMs of SSP, this study included 129 people from 14 institutions. The majority of participants are females (58.1%) and between the ages of 30 and 34 (55.8%). Most of them live in SSP (79.1%) and in larger cities or metropolitan areas (89.1%). Their medical degree was predominantly obtained in the southeast region (92.3%), mostly from the SSP (72.1%). From the 129 participants, 98.4% are healthcare practitioners. From these, 74.6% work in Family and Community Medicine and 48.1% work in education. They reported having one (33.9%), two (33.9%), or three (15.0%) job positions, not related to education. The most frequently reported current workplace was Family Health Strategy (49.6%), followed by Urgency and Emergency (26.7%), private practice (19.7%), Traditional Health Unit (19.7%) and healthcare management (18.9%). Regarding academic career after FCM residency, 10.1% did another residency, 57.0% obtained a lato sensu specialization and 31.8% acquired a stricto sensu degree. A specialization in FCM was perfomed by 41.9% of the participants. Over half of the participants are training the next generation of family physicians (52.7%), while 83.7% of these intend to follow this career. The majority of family physicians working in FCM are satisfied or very satisfied in the chosen career, and 44.8% of them are motivated. In conclusion, residency graduates from RPFCM-SSP are predominantly women and young, living in large urban centers, tending to locate in SSP where their residency was acquired. The working environment of the graduates is quite diverse, since the aptitude learned at FCM is ample. Many graduates actively participate in activities related to the training of family physicians, therefore, are a fundamental part in training new professionals to work in Primary Health Care. Moreover, most of them are satisfied with their jobs in FCM, despite the lack in recognition and appreciation for this healthcare specialty.

The concept of sustainability has gained traction within Canadian planning efforts in recent years. As such, there is a need to measure progress toward sustainability goals; it was found that sustainability indicators are the recommended tool to perform such measurement. The literature also articulated the potential for core community sustainability indicators. The concept of transferability was produced to describe the ability of indicators, domains, and scoring processes to be relevant between communities (horizontal transferability) and various levels of governance (vertical transferability). Hence, the objectives of this research were to create a set of community sustainability indicators, domains, and a scoring methodology for use in a Canadian Community Sustainability Indicator Framework. In attempt to achieve these objectives, first a document review of four existing Canadian community sustainability indicator sets and their domains. This review produced a preliminary set of community sustainability indicators and domains, the latter of which were used in the interviews that followed. The document review also introduced a scoring methodology from MMM Group: The Complete Mobility (CM) scoring methodology. Interview communities were chosen from across Canada using criteria to include different geographical areas, community sizes, and economic/population conditions. Interviewees were from academic, government, or non-government organizations. Interviews followed a loose interview guide with the objectives of gaining insight into interviewee perceptions on sustainability indicators, domains, and scoring processes. Specifically they were asked to evaluate the preliminary set of community sustainability indicator domains and CM scoring methodology, both found in the document review. Synthesis of the results from the document review, the interviews, and the literature review found that there are benefits associated with, and a desire for a transferable community sustainability framework within Canada. The preliminary set of community sustainability indicator domains found complete acceptance in the interviews, and three newly proposed domains. The concept of scoring had varied opinions; however, in those interviewees who desired scoring, the CM methodology was well liked. A proposed framework for a CCSIF as well as other potentially emergent concepts and affirmed academic assertions were also presented in this thesis. Further research into many of these concepts, both emergent and not, was proposed.

碩士
國立臺灣師範大學
創造力發展碩士班
101
Teaching with creativity, getting more resource with cooperation- How the families participate in a community, “Hsinhsin Family”. Abstract The purpose of this research is to inquiry the process of development of a community, “Hsinhsin Family”, and their new nurturing ways. The research is based on in-depth interview, four families highly devoted in are chosen as the participants. ”Initiation”, “Activity”, “Function”, “Current and Future”, “Overview of Activities” are five main aspects of the report: 1. The initiation of Hsinhsin Family The context of the very beginning of Hsinhsin Family were several core families which lack of neighborhood/ relative care. Their needs of children’s peer group and the inspiring of education of elite group stimulate the formation of Hsinhsin Family. 2. Activity of Hsinhsin Family The main activities of Hsinhsin Family are customized for children’s experience learning. The activity holders also have experience of nuturing happily and strong confidence on holding activities; they do what they good at in Hsinhsin Family. 3. Function of Hsinhsin Family The function of Hsinhsin Family are about accompany of peer group, inclusive of the experience of puppy love. It also provides real situation for children’s socialization, help them to experience living, to explore their points of view, and to spread their living experience. Nuturing together is achieved in Hsinhsin Family. 4. The Current and Future Status The current step mission of Hsinhsin Family is achieved. While children are growing up, their focus is changed. For the differences of the needs of each one, Hsinhsin Family might become a leisure group or family supporting group in the future. 5. Overview of how the Activities hold Hsinhsin Family members would have in-person meetings or discuss on internet to figure out the content of activities (e.g. the making of buns).

The land-grant university system was founded in the 19th century as a public means to help improve people’s everyday lives. A century and a half later, the challenges that the public faces to live a quality life are constantly changing, creating a need for the land-grant system to respond and adapt to continue to fulfill its mission. While the literature contains a wealth of conceptual papers addressing the role and mission of land-grant universities, relatively few papers could be found that reported empirical data or proposed and tested metrics for public engagement constructs. The current study sought to address this void in the literature through the investigation of factors influencing Indiana residents’ level of interest in engaging with Purdue University. Mail survey methods were used in which up to three contacts were made with adult members of 4,500 Indiana households identified through address-based sampling. Stratified random sampling was employed to ensure adequate rural household participation for other project purposes. Usable responses were received from 1,003 households representing 87 Indiana counties for a total response rate of 26%.