Ph.D., Antioch University, 2024, Antioch New England: Marriage and Family Therapy

Navigating parental biases within White affluent homes assumes family dynamics as yet unexplored within family therapy praxis. This dissertation examines parental biases directed toward domestic laborers employed in affluent White homes and how these biases might affect the parent-child relationship and the emerging values of children in these homes. Research from other fields demonstrates that domestic laborers experience social bias within the workplace; what this highlights is the likelihood that children in these settings are navigating unspoken subtleties of racism and classism in the context of developing socio-emotional maturity and family relationships. The first article within this dissertation critically reviews relevant literature to illuminate for the reader the lives of children in the care of domestic laborers in affluent White families. Themes from this review discussed in detail include social hierarchy and the symbolic boundaries of race and class, narrative cloaks to racial and class biases, parental attitudes about race and class and the effects of these on the socialization of their children, and the significance of the relationship between the child and the domestic laborer in the home. The literary review portion of this dissertation succeeds in emphasizing the value of continued research on this underexplored context of racial and class tension and the nuanced interactions that affect family relationships and the socialization of affluent White children. The second article within this paper incorporates evidence from two rounds of data collection–an open-ended questionnaire and a Likert scale questionnaire–surveying a panel of White adults (n = 9) who grew up in affluent White households employing domestic laborers. Items endorsed by participants within the study reveal that parents' views on race and class affect the parent-child relationship and the children's emerging values about race and class. The findings indicate that perceptions of (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Kevin Lyness Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Maria Bermudez Ph.D. (Committee Member); Denzel Jones Ph.D. (Committee Member); Bryson Greaves Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Behavioral Psychology; Behavioral Sciences; Counseling Psychology; Demographics; Developmental Psychology; Economic Theory; Families and Family Life; Multicultural Education; Peace Studies; Pedagogy; Personal Relationships; Psychology; Psychotherapy; Social Psychology; Therapy

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2024, Antioch New England: Marriage and Family Therapy

Parentification, or parent-child role reversal, occurs when children and adolescents take on parental responsibilities within the family (Boszormenyi-Nagy & Spark, 1973). This can include caring for younger siblings, attending to their parents' emotional needs, and assisting with tasks such as translation. Parentification disrupts family dynamics as parents transfer significant responsibilities to the child (Martino & Coburn, 2022). Extensive research consistently demonstrates the negative impact of parentification on children, leading to depression, suicidal feelings, shame, guilt, worry, and social isolation (Jurkovic, 1997). It can also contribute to the development of conduct disorders. Unfortunately, these difficulties often go unnoticed. However, when it comes to language brokering, which can be viewed as a similar experience to parentification as indicated by research, it can yield some positive results, such as developing new skills, improving self-esteem, and contributing to family survival (Kam et al., 2017; Martino & Coburn, 2022). Limited research exists on factors that alleviate the impact of parentification in Latine and Hispanic households, and despite its potential harm, parentification is often rationalized by families for various reasons. Familismo, a cultural value emphasizing loyalty and community within the family (Ayon et al., 2010) may play a significant role in the experiences of Latine parentified individuals. Familismo promotes unity, support, and loyalty within the family, resulting in enhanced self-esteem, a strong sense of belonging, and deep respect for the cultural community and family members (Fuligni et al., 1999; Ayon et al., 2010, Montero & Ceballo, 2021; Walker et al., 2022). This quantitative study demonstrates that familismo acts as a moderator in the relationship between parentification and depression. Specifically, this study reveals that higher levels of familismo weaken the link between parentification and depression. This d (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Kevin Lyness Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Denzel Jones Ph.D. (Committee Member); Bryson Greaves Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Families and Family Life; Hispanic American Studies; Hispanic Americans; Individual and Family Studies; Latin American Studies; Mental Health; Therapy

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2023, Antioch New England: Marriage and Family Therapy

This qualitative study aims to explore the unique experiences and challenges faced by Latino Caribbean cisgender gay men within their cultural and social contexts. Using focus group and thematic analysis, the researcher examines the narratives and perspectives of a diverse sample of Latino Caribbean cisgender gay men (n = 6) to gain insights into their sexual identity process, cultural influences, family dynamics, and support systems utilizing Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) as the methodological framework. The researcher's findings highlight the themes of Awareness of Sexual Identity, Visibility Management, Spanish Caribbean Families' Influences, Being True to Oneself, and Positive Experiences & Role Models as key factors influencing the participants' experiences. These findings underscore the importance of understanding the intersections between sexual and cultural identities for Latino Caribbean cisgender gay men. The participants navigate the complex process of self-acceptance and disclosure while balancing cultural expectations and societal norms. The role of family and community support emerges as both a source of strength and potential challenge in their journeys of self-exploration and acceptance. The findings shed light on the need to research the sexual identity process for Caribbean LGBTQ+ individuals, couples, and families within a social justice framework. These findings highlight the importance of creating inclusive spaces, promoting visibility, and providing culturally sensitive support services to address the unique needs of this population. And contribute to the existing literature on sexual identity development, cultural diversity, and family dynamics, and provide insights that can inform interventions, policies, and practices aimed at promoting the well-being and empowerment of Latino Caribbean LGBTQ+ individuals.

Committee: Kevin Lyness PhD, LMFT (Committee Chair); Markie Twist PhD, LMFT, LMHC, CSE (Committee Member); Alex Iantaffi PhD, MS, SEP, CST, LMFT (Committee Member) Subjects: Behavioral Psychology; Behavioral Sciences; Black Studies; Caribbean Studies; Counseling Psychology; Families and Family Life; Gender; Gender Studies; Glbt Studies; Hispanic American Studies; Hispanic Americans; Latin American History; Latin American Studies; Mental Health; Minority and Ethnic Groups; Personal Relationships; Psychology; Psychotherapy; Social Research; Social Work; Therapy

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2022, Sociology

Despite the ubiquity of bereavement, few are prepared for the traumatic loss of a child. Child death is regarded as the most painful experience of family bereavement because it disturbs the natural order of life, leaving a lasting impression on bereaved parents and their families. Yet, most prior research has focused its attention on individual adjustment to child death with insufficient consideration of the impact of the loss on the family unit. Indeed, families are linked in life and death, so the individual and relational processes surrounding child death should be considered simultaneously. Drawing on data from the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative survey of American adults over the age of 50 and their spouses and children, this dissertation attends to this supposition by exploring not only how the death of a child after age 50 impacts family functioning, but also how older parents' individual adjustment to a child's death is shaped by their family relationships. The first analytic chapter investigates whether child death in later life affects the risk of gray divorce, paying close attention to the buffering role of marital quality prior to a child's death and the role of parent-child genetic ties. The second analytic chapter turns the focus to parent-child relationship dynamics by mapping trajectories of older mothers' and fathers' relationships with their surviving children before, during, and after the death of a child. The final analytic chapter examines parents' dementia onset after losing a child in later life and the protective role of family relationships. This dissertation attempts to uncover the complex family processes surrounding the death of a child in later life, and in doing so, aims to impel bereavement theory and research to treat child death as a family-wide trauma with implications for individual family members, their relationships to one another, and the family unit as a whole.

Committee: I-Fen Lin PhD (Committee Chair); Dawn Anderson PhD (Other); Susan Brown PhD (Committee Member); Wendy Manning PhD (Committee Member); Jenjira Yahirun PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Families and Family Life; Sociology

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, Cleveland State University, 2022, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

Frankie and Drew are two friends, living mundane lives, which are abruptly interrupted by the appearance of the past. A mysterious girl appears in the dumpster outside of Frankie's apartment, and the two form a friendship. It becomes increasingly clear that this girl is not all that she seems. Frankie will be forced to remember a painful memory, and the tragedy that she witnessed and felt responsible for. While at the same time, Drew visits the mother who abandoned him in the hospital. Frankie and Drew are both on a healing journey, that is both painful and necessary, and support one another along the way.

Committee: Mike Geither (Advisor); Hilary Plum (Committee Member); David Giffels (Committee Member) Subjects: American Literature; Fine Arts; Language Arts

Master of Science in Criminal Justice, Youngstown State University, 2021, Department of Criminal Justice and Consumer Sciences

Research suggests that several family dynamics effect juvenile delinquency. The objective of this thesis is to examine how certain family dynamics influence juvenile delinquency. The theory used to address this objective is Hirschi's Social Bond Theory, as it is considered a benchmark for research in the field of delinquency. There are four hypotheses tested in this study. They include- delinquency is more likely in one-parent households than in two-parent households, delinquency is more likely in lowly supervised families than in families that are not lowly supervised, delinquency is more likely in highly conflicted families than in families with low or no conflict, and delinquency is more likely in lower class families than in middle- and upper-class families. The data used to test these hypotheses was retrieved from the Add Health Wave II database. Of the four hypotheses tested in this thesis, one was supported in the analysis. The analysis showed that households with no conflict had significantly less delinquency compared to households with conflict. The hypotheses involving family structure, family supervision, and family socio economic status were not supported by the analysis. It may be necessary to consider other influential aspects such as peers, school, or community factors along with the family dynamics discussed in this thesis to gain full understanding of the influences on juvenile delinquency.

Committee: Christopher Bellas PhD (Advisor); Richard Rogers PhD (Committee Member); John Hazy PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Criminology

Master of Science (MS), Bowling Green State University, 2015, Biological Sciences

Filopodia play sensory roles by acting like `antennae' to sense the cell's surroundings. In nerve growth cone, they promote motility towards an attractive cue or away from a repulsive one. Filopodia have been reported to be involved in wound healing, adhesion to the extracellular matrix and embryonic development. A number of cytoskeletal regulatory proteins have been implicated in regulating initiation, formation, maintenance and extension/retraction cycle of such protrusions. Some of these proteins either bind to the Rho family GTPases, Cdc42 and Rac, as effectors or function downstream of such effectors to regulate signaling pathways involved in cytoskeletal reorganization. The purpose of this study was to determine whether certain proteins, which had well-defined binding interfaces with proteins downstream of GTPase-regulated proteins, were implicated in filopodial dynamics. Synthetic binding peptides (BPs) were used to impede the interaction of Cdc42 and Rac with the effectors and to interfere at protein-protein binding interfaces downstream of the GTPases. Single cell peripheries were analyzed to determine the levels of positive outgrowths of filopodia. This assay allowed for rapid determination of whether the BPs had an effect on filopodia formation. BPs, namely IQGAP (132-140), ACK and Par6 showed a negative effect on filopodia, whereas IQGAP (84-93), PAK and WASP elevated filopodia formation or had no effect compared to control. When interactions of PAK2 with Abl and PAK4 with integrin-ß5 were inhibited, filopodia prevalence increased. Based on several previous findings, the tyrosine kinase ACK is thought to mediate internalization, processing and trafficking pathways of cell surface receptors, especially epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFRs). ACK is an oncogene and its overexpression or mutation is implicated in several human cancers. During this study, when the E3 ubiquitin ligase, neural precursor cell expressed developmentally downregul (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Carol Heckman PhD (Advisor); Paul Morris PhD (Committee Member); Daniel Wiegmann PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Biochemistry; Biology; Biomedical Research; Cellular Biology; Molecular Biology; Neurobiology; Oncology

Master of Arts, Miami University, 2011, English

This work of fiction depicts two families in sub/rural America, largely focusing on the teenage lifestyle and the problems faced by the modern-age single-parent family unit. The plot reveals the disparity between young love and the post-love state ushered in by divorce. Third-, first-, and second-person perspective are used, as well as the past, present, and future tenses, to the effect of providing a unique outlook and narrative voice for eight distinct characters.

Committee: Eric K. Goodman (Committee Chair); Margaret Luongo (Committee Member); Kay Sloan (Committee Member) Subjects: Families and Family Life; Fine Arts; Literature; Womens Studies

MA, Kent State University, 2008, College of Communication and Information / School of Communication Studies

Family communication structure (conformity verses conversation orientation) and the motives parents employ when communicating with their young adult children interact to produce several consequences. The specific repercussions that result from increased conformity and control need to be further identified and defined to offer pertinent information for the development of training workshops, intervention programs, and insight to parents wishing to change their behaviors. Thus, this study explored the effect of control motives and conformity orientation (two structures: protective and consensual) on confidence, independence, and perceived communication competence. The impact of children's evaluation of parental control (i.e., viewing parental control as a sign of love and affection) on the three outcome variables was also of interest. The results showed a significant positive correlation between conformity orientation and parental control (increased control was related to increased conformity orientation), a significant negative correlation between parental control and evaluations of control (subjects did not view parental control as a sign of love and affection), and significant negative correlations between control and all three outcome variables (confidence, independence, and perceived communication competence). Evaluations of parental control did not demonstrate predictability in changes in the outcome variables.

Committee: Mei-Chen Lin Dr. (Advisor); Janet Meyer Dr. (Committee Member); Jeffrey T. Child Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Communication

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2007, Anthropology

This dissertation investigates the everyday lived experience of children diagnosed with behavioral and emotional disorders and their families living in a metropolitan area of the northeastern United States. Participating families (n=20) were from diverse ethnic (African-American, Euro-American, Latino) and socioeconomic backgrounds. This study aimed to understand the meaning of children's behavioral and emotional problems from the perspective of families and how such problems were configured within the intimate worlds of families through ethnographic interviews and observations across home, clinic, and community contexts. Two patterns of interaction were observed among families: high and low tension. Family dynamics are considered in relation to (1) families' conceptualizations of disorders, (2) how family processes may be mediated by broad socio-cultural discourses pertaining to class, race, and gender, and (3) are used to examine socialization patterns and communication patterns characteristic of high and low tension families respectively. Parental narratives reflect diverse conceptualizations of behavioral and emotional problems. In this study, African-American families ascribe less to medicalized views of children's problems than their Euro-American counterparts and instead call attention to interpersonal and institutional explanations. African-American families expressed strong expectations for self-control and encouragement of personal responsibility among their children. Euro-American families, in comparison, overwhelmingly voice their sense of a lack of control over their children's problems and their narratives reflect a sense of helplessness. How families conceptualize problems and their orientations to parenting and childrearing appear to hold implications for attitudes toward, and utilization of, mental health services. Children's own perspectives on these issues highlight the limited salience that biomedical explanations may hold. Specifically, children (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Janis Jenkins (Advisor) Subjects: Anthropology, Cultural