Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Sociology of family and relationships'

Social mobility is often viewed as a way to alleviate poverty and create equality; it represents the basis upon which the United States is viewed as a meritocratic nation of opportunity. Missing from this persistent narrative, however, is analysis of the actual experience of social mobility. This qualitative study explores the narratives of individuals as they reflect on their experiences of upward mobility through education. Data include in-depth interviews with 25 individuals with an advanced degree whose parents did not attend college, and 10 individuals who have an advanced degree similar to their parents. This study considers three dimensions of cultural capital—embodied cultural capital associated with how individuals present themselves, linguistic cultural capital associated with how individuals speak and communicate and cultural capital related to taste, beliefs and knowledge, associated with individual’s leisure time choices, food and drink preferences and beliefs about the world. Across data, mobile individuals express the expectation or need to take on the cultural practices and behavior of their new class context. Data suggest that the process through which upwardly mobile individuals experience shifts in culture is more complex than currently conceived. In addition, these changes in culture can lead to internal conflict and difficulty in connection with families of origin; representing the potential costs of upward mobility. Implications include an amendment to cultural mobility research and to current strategies in urban education which position cultural capital as a character trait that can be learned or taken up by individuals.

The demands and challenges of early parenthood place adolescent mothers at high risk for developing adjustment difficulties. The current longitudinal study examined the types of relationships that Latina adolescent mothers have with their partners, based on the young mother's level of acculturation and enculturation. The study also examined positive (e.g., partner support, relationship satisfaction) and negative (e.g., relationship strain) aspects of romantic relationships that impact both relationship continuity and the adolescent mothers' psychological adjustment. One hundred and twenty five Latina adolescent mothers (M age=19.49 years; SD=1.34; of primarily Puerto Rican origin) who reported having a partner and their young children participated in this study at T1; one hundred and eight of these mothers returned for a second assessment 6 months later (T2). The majority of participants resided with their partners (70.4%) and approximately 42% of the young mothers were in relatively long-lasting (3 or more years) relationships with their partners. Around 19% of mothers were married, and marriage and co-residence with partner related to higher perceived instrumental support. Mothers' cultural orientation was related to characteristics of these relationships. Less acculturated mothers and mothers who were highly enculturated were more likely to be married and living with partners. The partners of more enculturated mothers were also more likely to be the child's biological father. Roughly 78% of participants who had a partner at T1 and returned for T2 reported the same partner at T2. Although a few demographic and relationship characteristics were related to continuity (e.g., co-residence and relationship with child's father, having Latino partners, and longer relationships), relationship satisfaction was the only unique predictor of continuity. In regard to associations with mother's psychological distress, non-tangible support, satisfaction, and strain at T1 related to distress at T2. However, strain was the only unique predictor of distress; satisfaction had a marginal effect. Importantly, the association between strain and distress was moderated by satisfaction, such that strain predicted more distress at low and medium levels of satisfaction, but not at higher levels of satisfaction. Results are discussed in light of Latino cultural values, developmental issues, and implications for intervention.

Past research has shown that entrainment facilitates social bonding in intimates and strangers. The current study investigated if synchronicity in romantic couples is disrupted by relationship discord. Rocking chair movements were used as an objective measure of synchronicity. Couples rocked together for 3 minutes to assess their baseline synchronicity, and again for 3 minutes after inducing a threat to the relationship in one member of each couple. It was hypothesized that satisfied couples would be more entrained than dissatisfied couples at baseline, as well as after inducing a relationship threat. Results indicated no significant difference in rocking between satisfied and dissatisfied couples at baseline. However, results supported that synchronicity was significantly disrupted in dissatisfied couples, but not satisfied couples, after the threat was induced. These results suggest that relationship satisfaction acts as a buffer to relationship threats and/or that satisfied couples are more likely to remain entrained even in the face of hardship.

What often stands out in people's life stories is the presence of one person who seemed to change the course of their life. Although such life-changing relationships are portrayed in literature, and can be found all around us, there has been limited research on what makes these experiences possible. Many relevant studies have been conducted within the field of mentoring, however the transformational elements of such relationships have remained elusive. This study, through phenomenological qualitative research, involving semi-structured dyadic interviews, explores mentorships that have been identified as "transformational" and aims to discover the key attributes common in these relationships. Thirteen mentees, whose lives have been significantly changed by their mentorships, agreed to participate, along with their mentors. Several themes emerged from these narratives of transformational relationships: Commitment and Caring, Involvement, Affirmation/ Recognition of Mentee, the mentor being a Role Model and Contextualizing the Relationship, and the mentee having a Unique Experience. These common elements may provide a way to enhance mentoring efforts and facilitate life-changing relationships between adults and youth in need.

Despite increased numbers of intercultural couples in the United States, data shows that the pairing of non-Hispanic Black-White interracial couples falls short on all scales (Pew Research Center, 2012). The number of cohabitating interracial couples is almost double the number of married interracial couples; however, they have the lowest rates of marriage and are more likely to divorce when compared to all other intercultural couples. To determine what non-Hispanic Black-White interracial couples must do to strengthen and maintain their relationships, this study interviewed seven cohabitating couples. The qualitative analysis revealed five themes: Culture, Secure Attachment, Communication, Authenticity, and Humor. The themes and implications for couple therapy and future research are also discussed.

The number of children in the United States for whom English is not the language spoken at home is increasing. The National Center for Education Statistics (as cited in Hammer, Scarpino, & Davison, 2011) reported that, in 2007, 10.8 million school-age children in the U.S. spoke a native language other than English, an 11% increase in just 25 years. Of these English language learners (ELLs), Latinos represent almost 80% (Jerome, 2009). Numerous studies have shown the importance to both students and schools of meaningfully engaging families in the school environment. This comparative case study focuses on the practices of two elementary schools that successfully promote the engagement of families of Latino ELL students and is intended to increase understanding of the necessary relational components, or the ways that individuals are connected, that promote family engagement in school environments with populations of primarily Latino students and a majority of English language learners (ELLs).

Obesity has recently become a worldwide epidemic, with 75% of American adults overweight and 33% classified as obese (World Health Organization, 2005). The rise in obesity has brought a similarly marked focus on weight loss. While weight loss is often achievable, prior medical research has shown maintaining weight loss to be the largest hurdle, with roughly 95% of individuals regaining back the weight loss within a 5 year period (Berry & Canetti, 2009). Despite this, relatively little research has been conducted investigating the psychological and relational characteristics of individuals that successfully maintain major weight loss, and the impact drastic weight loss has on relationships, family systems and romantic relationships. Consequently, systems therapists wishing to support an individual and their families throughout the weight loss process are left without empirical or theoretical guidance. The purpose of this study was to contribute to the development of a theory of drastic weight loss maintenance that explains identity and relationships changes that unfold before, during and after weight loss within successful weight loss maintainers. Unstructured, open-ended qualitative interviews were conducted with five former contestants of NBC's television program The Biggest Loser. Overall, weight loss experiences fell into two broad categories of personal narrative/identity and systemic/relationship themes. Narrative therapy's concept of personal narratives was used to classify narrative/identity themes as the dominant themes and beliefs within a personal narrative. Systemic/relationship themes included themes in intergenerational backgrounds, family systems and relationships. Themes amongst those participants who were successful at weight maintenance were also compared to participants who were struggling to maintain their weight loss results. A sequential model outlining how narrative/identity themes and systemic/relationship themes combine in order to create successful long-term weight maintenance after drastic weight loss is proposed. Clinical and research implications for couple, family and individual psychotherapy are also discussed.

Vi har i vårt samhälle idag en hög skilsmässostatistik. Individerna i parrelationer har problem att fungera tillsammans på ett tillfredställande sätt. Denna studie baseras på intervjuer med familjerådgivare som hanterar par som har problem i relationen. I undersökningen har jag valt att försöka svara på vad som familjerådgivaren anser kunna skapa höga förväntningar på relationen samt hur dessa förväntningar påverkar relationen. Den belyser även de aspekter som är viktiga för att en relation skall fungera och vad familjerådgivaren kan göra för par som har problem i relationen. Som teoretisk utgångspunkt till undersökningen har Giddens teori om den rena relationen använts. Resultatet visar att par som söker hjälp hos familjerådgivarna har svårt att få tid till att arbeta och underhålla sin relation. Slitningar som barn och ekonomiska bekymmer är vanliga. Undersökningen visar även att jämställdhet är att eftersträva för att relationen skall hålla en god balans. Den mans och kvinnoroll som finns i samhället påverkar också mannens och kvinnans förväntningar på varandra. Resultatet visar att par framför allt har svårigheter att kommunicera med varandra.

Nyckelord: relationer, ”rena relationer”, problem, kommunikation, familjerådgivare.

The life course perspective, especially the theme of linked lives, posits that human lives are embedded in social relationships with family across the life course. Inspired by this framework, the purpose of this dissertation is to extend understanding of the impact of intergenerational relationships on psychological and relational well-being by examining a more complex network of family relationships than has been considered in previous research. Guided by stress theories and spillover theory, this dissertation addresses two research questions that emphasize the complexity and interconnectedness of later-life families: 1) Does the tension with other family relationships—specifically those with siblings and spouses—mediate the association between maternal differential treatment and psychological well-being in adulthood? 2) How does the quality of the ties between mothers and their adult children shape the quality of the ties between mothers and their children-in-law? To address these research questions, I use data collected as part of the Within-Family Differences Study. For the first question, I use data collected from adult children as part of the WFDS-II. For the second research question, I use data collected from mothers as part of the WFDS-I & II.

Past research used equity theory and social comparison theory to explain the direct effect of maternal differential treatment (MDT) on psychological well-being. However, this focus on psychological pathways ignores possible social pathways, such as indirect effects of MDT on well-being through disrupting other family relationships. Using the life course perspective and stress proliferation theory, the first study found that sibling tension mediates the association between adult children’s perceptions of maternal disfavoritism and their psychological well-being—a process I call the stress proliferation of maternal disfavoritism. In contrast, adult children’s perceptions of maternal favoritism cannot trigger this stress proliferation process of producing marital tension nor sibling tension.

In line with the life course perspective, principles of classic theories of social interaction in both sociology and psychology suggest that the mother-child tie would be affected by the introduction of the child’s spouse into the original dyad. However, only a small number of qualitative studies have investigated the association between mother-child-in-law relationships and mother-child relationships. To fill this knowledge gap, the second study used spillover effect theory and found that older mothers’ tension with adult children predicted change in mothers’ tension with children-in-law across 7 years, whereas older mothers’ tension with children-in-law did not predict change in mothers’ tension with children across 7 years. This study suggests that the association between mother-child relations and mother-child-in-law relations may be the result of the unidirectional effect of mother-child relations on mother-child-in-law relations rather than the reciprocal association found in the previous qualitative studies. In other words, mothers’ evaluation of mother-child-in-law relations is dependent on their evaluation of mother-child relations, whereas the reverse is not true. In addition, I did not find gender differences in the association between mother-child tension and mother-child-in-law tension over time.