Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, 2013, Marriage and Family Counseling/Therapy

This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of couples in long-distance relationships (LDRs) from the perspective of Transgenerational (TG) Theory, a foundational theory in the Marriage and Family Therapy field. Semi-structured individual and conjoint interviews were conducted via web-based communication technology with six LDR couples who were separated due to the demands of work, school, or family care giving. Genograms were constructed in the first interview and used to discuss intergenerational relational patterns in the families of origin of the LDR partners. Eligible couples were those who had been together in the same geographic location for at least one year prior to beginning the LDR, and who had been in the LDR for at least a year. Aspects of TG Theory salient to these LDR couples were identified through analysis of the transcripts using phenomenological methods. Multigenerational patterns were found in the families of origin of participants in work-related travel and/or relocation, being independent, sharing a commitment to caring for the family of origin, and having a strong work ethic. Distance appeared to make some relational processes more overt. The majority of these LDR couples were involved in providing physical and/or financial support to members of their extended families. Families of origin were important sources of support for these LDR partners and couples. The LDR lifestyle allowed the couples and families to give and take relational support in a mutual cycle involving both families and the intimate partners. LDRs offered a way for them to fulfill multiple commitments to each other and their families while living and working in separate locations. Two core themes incorporating individual and relational processes also emerged from the analysis of interview transcripts. First, commitment and trust in the partnered relationship allowed participants to embark on an LDR. The recursive interaction of trust and commitment streng (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Linda Perosa Dr. (Advisor); Suzanne MacDonald Dr. (Committee Member); Karin Jordan Dr. (Committee Member); Cynthia Reynolds Dr. (Committee Member); Sandra Perosa L. (Committee Member) Subjects: Families and Family Life; Individual and Family Studies; Personal Relationships; Psychology

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

Master of Fine Arts, The Ohio State University, 2024, English

You Have to Save Something is a collection of nonfiction essays about growing up in Appalachia as the eldest daughter in a blue-collar, working-class family. The writer narrates profound moments with her family, especially with her brothers and their friends in a small community where they gained insight into their economic place, their losses, their abilities, their father's tremendous work ethic, and their mother's depression along with her particularly harsh methods of punishment. Memory and story are often connected to and shared through treasured objects that were and remain connected to the fabric of the family's life and to the writer herself. At the heart of these essays is a fondness for the place and the people that endures throughout the writer's life and into the present day.

Committee: Elissa Washuta (Advisor) Subjects: Families and Family Life; Folklore; Social Structure

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

Eating Disorders are the second deadliest mental illness, after opioid addiction, and affect a significant amount of the population, with some studies estimating that almost one in ten people will struggle with an eating disorder in their lifetime and that many more will suffer from subclinical eating disorder symptoms like disordered eating (Deloitte Access Economics, 2020). The majority of people struggling with an eating disorder are not medically underweight, and traditionally eating disorder research and treatment has failed to address eating disorders in people in larger bodies (Galmiche et al., 2019). To better understand the needs and experiences related to eating disorders in people in larger bodies, research needs to explore the emotional, relational, and psychological impact of experiences of weight stigma in people in larger bodies who are recovering from an eating disorder/eating-related distress. Specifically, there is little information about how experiences of weight stigma during eating disorder recovery impacts the course of recovery, and particularly stigma from family and partners. Accordingly, this qualitative phenomenological research aims to understand said experiences. The study consisted of semi-structured interviews with 12 participants yielding results comprised of four themes and 16 subthemes. The four primary themes are: It Matters That It Comes From Family, It's Different When You're Fat, Weight Stigma Harms Relationships, and Relationships Heal. The results highlight the importance of understanding the pervasive and lasting impact that family relationships have on people in the context of eating disorders and the specific experiences of people in larger bodies. Similarly, the results clearly show the importance of relationships in recovery overall. The results and subsequent discussion shed light on the importance of working directly with and combatting weight stigma at the family system and societal levels in order to create more sign (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Kristi Harrison Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Erin Harrop Ph.D. (Committee Member); Amy Blanchard Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Families and Family Life; Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2023, Gerontology

Much is known about the latter stages of caregiving. However, less is known about the role acquisition stage. This is when adult children begin to augment previously provided support to meet the activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) needs of their aging parents. Adult children often report intergenerational ambivalence, or concurrent positive and negative sentiments towards their parents, that may be exacerbated when parents need increasing support/care. Evaluations or appraisals about providing support may mediate the links between events and outcomes. Informed by the transactional process models and informal caregiving integrative model, this study used structural equation modeling to assess the relationship between change in parental disability and intergenerational ambivalence through adult children's perceptions of the stress and reward of providing help to parents over time including how racial identity moderates these associations. Participants included 369 adult children (32% Black, 68% White) who provided information on 478 parents from Waves I and II of the Family Exchanges Study. The association between change in parental disability and intergenerational ambivalence was explained through stress appraisals; greater change in parental disability led to higher levels of stress appraisals which led, in turn, to greater intergenerational ambivalence over time. The relationship between changes in stress appraisals and intergenerational ambivalence was slightly stronger for Black, compared to White, adult children. Results show that stress, rather than reward, appraisals are an essential factor in determining relationship quality as parental care needs emerge. This highlights the need for contextually and culturally relevant interventions to promote positive family functioning.

Committee: Jennifer Kinney (Committee Chair) Subjects: African Americans; Aging; Families and Family Life; Gerontology; Health; Individual and Family Studies

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2023, Human Ecology: Human Development and Family Science

Family Achievement Guilt (Piorkowski, 1981) is a term that refers to the guilt first-generation college students experience leaving their family behind during the transition to academia. Though family achievement guilt has been examined critically by scholars (Covarrubias & Fryberg, 2015; Covarrubias et al., 2020), little research exists examining family achievement guilt, and further, support for first-generation college students during their transition to academia through a clinical lens. The aim of this study was to examine the experience of family achievement guilt through a Contextual Family Therapy lens (Boszormenyi-Nagy, 2013). A mixed-methods approach was used to examine family achievement guilt in relation to measures representing the four dimensions of contextual family therapy theory: facts, transactions, individual psychology, and relational ethics. 121 first-year students from a large, research institution in the Midwest completed a survey examining family achievement guilt (Covarrubias et al., 2020), depressive and anxiety symptoms (Kroenke et al., 2003; 2007) and additional family relationship-oriented variables of interest. Additional variables included relational ethics (Hargrave et. al, 1991), family distance regulation (Draper & Lee, 2001; Levine, Green & Millon, 1986) and attachment (Fraley et al., 2006). Phase one survey results indicated a positive relationship between two domains of relational ethics—trust/justice and entitlement, and family achievement guilt, as well as first-generation status and family achievement guilt, as expected. In addition, depression and anxiety scores were found to be positively related to family achievement guilt and mediated by family achievement guilt in their relationship with trust/justice, entitlement, and first-generation status. Phase two case study analysis added depth to survey results by highlighting themes of family achievement guilt from a focal student perspective and examining them in conjunction wi (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Suzanne Bartle-Haring (Advisor); Autumn Bermea (Committee Member); Kelly Purtell (Committee Member) Subjects: Families and Family Life; Higher Education Administration; Therapy

Master of Fine Arts, Miami University, 2022, English

Focused on alternate universes where you can get your car taxidermied, where you can be reincarnated as your neighbor's golden retriever, and where you have conversations with loved ones you've meant to all your life (but couldn't), In This Universe is a collection of branching what-ifs and cosmic could've-beens, a multiverse-jumping selection of short speculative personal essays, lyrical essays, and braided essays that challenges genre conventions and questions the idea of whether a single universe even exists that can accommodate multiple ways of being. Though it deals with many different subject matters, there is always the presence of an alternate universes working as a sort of metaphor for future-thinking and alternate ways of being. Written with the intention of providing a space for folks who don't see themselves as valid in this world, or who can't imagine possibilities for themselves in this world, In This Universe looks to reimagine embodiment and to reshape spaces and ways of being, so that we might discover for ourselves far grander, perhaps far stranger, and mostly hidden possible realities.

Committee: Daisy Hernández (Committee Chair); TaraShea Nesbit (Committee Member); Jody Bates (Committee Member) Subjects: Fine Arts

Master of Fine Arts, The Ohio State University, 2022, English

無月、雨月 no moon, rain moon is a collection of poetry that explores language, memory, family history, relationships, ritual and festivals, and the complexity of identity. It's interested in looking at the rifts between the poet's languages and cultures, as well as the ways in which the two come together, both in terms of identity and in terms of poetic and artistic intention. Through an exploration of the natural world, seasons, and the sensory, the intensely internal voice is linked to myth, in retelling and reinventing longstanding stories, as well as developing a personal myth of the self. It is dedicated to her Japanese grandmother, with whom she shares a birth month, astrological sign and Chinese zodiac sign.

Committee: Kathy Fagan Grandinetti (Advisor); Marcus Jackson (Committee Member) Subjects: Asian Literature; Literature

Master of Fine Arts (MFA), Bowling Green State University, 2022, Creative Writing/Fiction

With[in]out is an artistic experimentation and liberation of hybrid stories that mirror thought processes and memory through an array of characters from an array of genres. Each piece utilizes form, genre, diction, white space, and style to best exhibit the inner worlds of characters on the page as well as the worlds the characters themselves inhabit. With[in]out creates a space for characters to go on a complex, internal journey involving difficult decisions, mental illness, trauma, isolation, and recovery. The collection asserts that memory is but a collage of images and sensory experiences and asks the reader to consider this tenet, as well as the stylistic choices within each piece, to gain a deeper understanding of how each character operates, to viscerally immerse oneself beyond prose conventions.

Committee: Lawrence Coates Ph. D. (Advisor); Abigail Cloud Ph. D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Cognitive Psychology; Environmental Philosophy; Ethics; Experiments; Families and Family Life; Individual and Family Studies; Language; Mental Health; Personal Relationships; Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2020, Psychology/Clinical

Research has examined sibling relationships among families dealing with challenging life circumstances such as parental divorce or other high-conflict situations. These studies have primarily focused on the congruency and compensatory hypotheses of relationships to understand how sibling relate to each other in difficult family circumstances. The congruency hypothesis suggests that sibling relationships are reflective of parental or parent-child relationships. In contrast, the compensatory hypothesis contends that sibling relationships can act as buffering in families dealing with high conflict. Few studies have examined these conceptual frameworks as they relate to how adult siblings cope with a parent with mental illness. The present qualitative study examined first-person accounts of young adult siblings with mothers with mental illness (anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder). A multiple perspectives research design was used to examine the accounts of 10 adult siblings from five families to understand their views of sibling relationships and family ties. Participants completed individual semi-structured interviews in which they discussed their relationships with their mother, father, and siblings, caregiving experiences, their personal mental health, and positive experiences related to having a mother with mental illness. Qualitative content analysis found support for both the congruency and compensatory hypotheses of sibling relationships among families living with parental mental illness. Findings also highlighted the potential for positive experiences and growth, as well as the significance of social support, for young adults who have a mother with mental illness. Implications of study findings for research and clinical practice are discussed.

Committee: Catherine Stein Ph.D. (Advisor); Brittany Joseph M.Ed. (Other); Dryw Dworsky Ph.D. (Committee Member); Dale Klopfer Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2020, Human Ecology: Human Development and Family Science

Although researchers have examined the role of attachment representations in family relationships, there has been a historical systematic devaluation of the contributions of fathers to the family system through the persistent tendency to leave fathers out of research. Given that fathers today are more involved in parenting than ever before, family scientists and attachment researchers are missing out on a complete understanding of the inner workings of families when they do not include fathers in their studies. Despite some progress in including fathers in studies assessing self-reported romantic attachment and narrative coherence of mind regarding formative attachment experiences, the Attachment Script Assessment (ASA), a newer measure of attachment, still suffers from a mothers-only bias with less than 20% of existing ASA narratives coming from fathers. The ASA assesses secure base script knowledge—or one's cognitive model for how to interact with close attachment partners in a supportive and helpful way—in both parent–child and romantic partner contexts, placing it in a unique position among assessments. In this dissertation, I aim to fill this gap through the examination of secure base script knowledge in both fathers and mothers through the use of the 7.5-year wave of the New Parents Project dataset, a longitudinal study of different-sex couples who experienced the transition to parenthood in 2008-2009. In Chapter 1, I begin by situating the ASA in the context of the larger field of attachment. In Chapter 2, I examine sex differences as well as demographic and verbal intelligence factors which may predict mothers' and fathers' performance on the ASA; additionally, an exploratory analysis is conducted examining links between self-reported romantic attachment and secure base script knowledge. Results indicated that differences between mothers' and fathers' secure base script knowledge are nuanced; fathers tend to score lower than mothers, but do not differ from m (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Sarah Schoppe-Sullivan (Advisor); Suzanne Bartle-Haring (Advisor); Claire Kamp Dush (Committee Member); Theodore Waters (Committee Member) Subjects: Developmental Psychology; Families and Family Life

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2020, Agricultural and Extension Education

Family instability has been on the rise in schools across southern Ohio. Rural communities struck by the recent opioid crisis and poverty have been particularly vulnerable. Drug use, poverty, and families characterized by frequent changes in locations and caregivers are recognized characteristics of these communities. The researcher wanted to study the characteristics of instable families and discover how parenting intervention might impact relationships in instable families. This qualitative case study was conducted by reaching out to former participants of Scioto County's Compassion to Action program. Sixty participants were contacted and eleven were interviewed about their experiences. Family Systems Theory, Cumulative Risk Theory, and Emotional Security Theory guided this study. This study found that 63% of participants felt that their family relationships had improved as a result of the parent trainings. Sixty-four percent of participants reported that their children were more likely to seek their help with problems. Also, the study found that participants were more likely to seek out advice and additional intervention from school personnel. This study is limited to a rural population in Appalachian southern Ohio. Recommendations for future study include conducting similar studies with different audiences from both rural and urban populations from various racial and social backgrounds.

Committee: Brian Raison (Advisor); Caryn Filson (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Families and Family Life; Individual and Family Studies; Personal Relationships; Social Work

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2019, Human Ecology: Human Development and Family Science

Women engaged in prostitution report high rates of substance use, HIV risk, victimization, mental health and physical health problems (Dalla, Xia, & Kennedy, 2003; Love, 2015). These women typically have children in their care who also contend with high rates of adverse outcomes (Dalla, 2004; Sloss, 2002). Prostitution and substance use are intrinsically linked (Gilchrist et al., 2005; National Institute of Justice, 1998; Nuttbrock et al., 2004). In fact, many women identify substance use as a significant barrier to exiting prostitution (Dalla, 2004). As a result, it has been posited that interventions for this population must address problematic substance use and underlying problems associated with substance use (Dalla, 2002). However, very few studies have tested interventions with this vulnerable population. Among these previous studies, findings suggest limitations of traditional treatment modalities. Using a Grounded Theory approach, the proposed study seeks to recruit mothers who have engaged in prostitution (n=15) to participate in qualitative interviews exploring their experiences and treatment needs as well as those of their children. An inductive content analysis will then be utilized to interpret the data and identify themes regarding intervention targets that are salient and require attention. This study will serve as a necessary first step towards understanding the treatment needs and experiences of these extremely vulnerable mother-child dyads. Current findings will offer meaningful new insights that will inform the development and adaptation of maximally effective, feasible, and acceptable interventions for this high-risk population.

Committee: Natasha Slesnick (Committee Chair); Keeley Pratt (Committee Member); Jen Wong (Committee Member) Subjects: Behavioral Sciences

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, Youngstown State University, 2017, Northeast Ohio Master of Fine Arts (Creative Writing)

This collection of thematically and geographically linked stories takes place in the fictional northeast Ohio town of Miles Junction and the surrounding area, including the real city of Youngstown, and explores a number of experiences within the working-class culture. Violence, revenge, financial insecurity, family dysfunction, love, forgiveness, and addiction are among the many themes running throughout the text. Set against a backdrop of deindustrialization and economic depression in the last few decades of the twentieth century and the first years of the new millennium, these stories employ a number of different literary modes—including American Gothic, noir, coming-of-age, and “dirty” domestic realism—in order to examine the tensions not only between individuals and groups but also between the past and the present and how these tensions govern our choices and trajectory as we move into the future.

Committee: Christopher Barzak MFA (Advisor); Steven Reese PhD (Committee Member); Eric Wasserman MFA (Committee Member) Subjects: Economics; Families and Family Life; Literature

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 1987, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects: Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 1981, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects: Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2015, Psychology

The present study sought to examine the relationship between horseback riding as a physical activity, general physical activity, motor control, and familial factors and the executive function processes of working memory, attention, and inhibitory control in children and young adults. The study hypothesized that 1) horseback riding, motor control, general physical activity, and familial factors will each be individually positively associated with executive functioning; 2) horseback riding will be associated with improved executive functioning and greater motor control; 3) motor control mediates the relationship between physical activity and executive functioning; 4) the combination of horseback riding, motor control, and familial factors will influence executive function performance more so than each factor individually; and that 5) developmental trends in physical activity, motor control, familial factors, and executive functioning will be evident. 56 children ages 7-13 and 109 young adults ages 17-23 completed verbal and visuospatial span tasks were used to assess working memory, the Attention Network Test (Fan et al., 2009) to assess attention, the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment- Revised (Gullone & Robinson, 2005) to assess parent- and peer-child relationships, the reach task and sit- and-reach task to assess balance and flexibility, the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function - Parent and Adult versions (Gioia, Isquith, Guy, & Kenworthy, 2000; Roth, Isquith, & Gioia, 2005) for executive functioning, and the Family Environment Scale (FES; Moos & Moos, 1994) to assess home environment. Results suggest mixed influences of horseback riding, general physical activity, and motor control on executive functioning dependent upon type of task, timing of task, and age of participants. Horseback riding is associated with improved motor control for children but not for young adults. Motor control does not mediate the relation between hors (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Yvette Harris (Committee Chair); Doris Bergen (Committee Member); Alexa Smith-Osborne (Committee Member); Thelma Horn (Committee Member); Michelle Abraham (Committee Member) Subjects: Cognitive Psychology; Developmental Psychology; Families and Family Life; Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2015, Population and Social Gerontology

Current research on intimate relationships of older adults in the U.S. is predominantly focused on marriage. Furthermore, gender relations in later life relationships have historically been studied within long-term marital relationships, which show patterns of high gender conformance earlier in family life, especially with young children, and less so later in life. Demographic and socio-cultural changes are transforming the ways in which people partner across the life course, including later life. Women's increasing education and workforce participation has helped alter family and household composition, giving rise to different partnership forms including cohabitation, divorce, remarriage, and living apart together (LAT), an intimate relationship in which the couple maintains separate residences. Very little is known about this type of relationship in the U.S. Using a life course framework I examine how gender is manifested in the formation and maintenance of LAT relationships in later life using social constructivism and the theory of gender as social structure. A grounded theory qualitative study with 13 women and 7 men age 59 to 89 reveals patterns of “doing” gender as well as “doing” family earlier in life. LAT relationships in later life appear to be an opportunity to “redo” family in an individualized way, with the men and women both valuing and maintaining the autonomy and freedom that comes in a life stage with lessening work and family responsibilities. Additionally, LAT allows the women in the study to continually “redo” gender by actively resisting doing gender in ways such as being submissive to men, catering to men's needs and wants, and taking on caregiving duties. This study demonstrates how LAT meets the individualistic needs of both men and women in later life. It is also an intimate relationship that provides the opportunity to exercise agency to act outside of gender norms and expectations present in earlier life, especially for women.

Committee: Jennifer Bulanda (Committee Chair) Subjects: Aging; Families and Family Life; Gender; Gender Studies; Gerontology; Individual and Family Studies; Personal Relationships

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2015, Arts and Sciences: Sociology

The death of a child shatters what many theorists think of as firmly held family constructs and there are few available cultural scripts to manage such a loss. The effect of that loss has a long lasting ripple effect on the family. Bereaved individuals, including, if not most especially bereaved parents, often appear to desire to maintain a symbolic connection to their deceased loved one in order to minimize the pain associated with the loss and to affirm that the deceased person's life (however short) had meaning and purpose. Continuing Bonds Theory best captures this experience. But, what of family members who did not know the person who died, children born subsequent to the death? What is their relationship to the deceased child and what meaning does it hold for them? Families are the locale not only where much of our most intimate grief work occurs, but also where children first do identity formation and meaning making. This study offers a new way of looking at how families grieve together, exploring family grief expression over the long term from the experience of siblings who did not know the child who died. It is from the perspective of individuals who indirectly experienced the loss. Participants were raised in a family that lost a child, but did not directly experience the loss. I interviewed 49 adults who had lost a sibling. The participants were either not yet born or younger than the age of 3 when their brother or sister died. This qualitative study attempts to better understand how symbolic relationships are constructed, the meanings of those symbolic relationships for the subsequent siblings, and the bearing, if any, there is on the siblings' identities. This research study adds to scholarship in the field of Sociology of Death regarding memory work, construction of symbolic relationships, and meaning making in families following the loss of a child. Memory work is done in social interaction, where actors construct memories that provide support (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Steven Carlton-Ford Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Clement Jeffrey Jacobson Ph.D. (Committee Member); Annulla Linders Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Sociology

Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2014, Psychology

The goal of the current research is to better understand the basic psychological qualities of what constitutes “family” and how different perceptions of family influence important well-being outcomes. Specifically, we examined how lay theories associated with family flexibility (i.e., breadth of inclusion of a variety of entities in one's definition of family) influence people's responses to naturally occurring changes in family structure (e.g., being away from home for the first time, additions to family through marriage or childbirth, loss of family through illness or death) as well as experimentally induced threats. Consistent with a stress-diathesis approach, we found that seeing family as potentially including a wide variety of entities (i.e., greater breadth of inclusion) was associated with better well-being overall (Studies 3 and 4) and with greater resilience in the face of stress (Study 1). Further, we found preliminary support for family evaluations and stability as moderators of the effect of breadth of inclusion on well-being under stress.

Committee: Allen McConnell PhD (Advisor); Kurt Hugenberg PhD (Committee Member); Amanda Diekman PhD (Committee Member); Maria Cronley PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Social Psychology