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

The present study investigated three major family process constructs—family differentiation, parental attachment, and authoritative parenting—to compare their unique or shared effects on identity development for emerging adults. Despite empirical support for their various impacts on developmental and health outcomes, these family processes have rarely, if ever, been investigated simultaneously. The present study builds on the foundation laid by previous works suggesting significant conceptual overlaps between theoretical constructs across often isolated bodies of literature in family science. Data was collected from a sample of 239 emerging adults who completed an online survey that included measures of differentiation, attachment, and authoritativeness, with separate scales for parental of figures. Identity integration and demographic variables were also measured. The full-scale measures of the three family process variables correlated strongly with coefficients of .76, .82, and .87, suggesting a high likelihood of a common variable being measured. SEM data analyses supported that the three family process variables fit best when modeled onto a single latent factor. Consistent patterns across comparative analyses of variance reflected a shared bi-dimensionality of the variables measured. When examined as continuous variables or along bidimensional classifications, the compelling family processes of high family differentiation, secure attachment, and authoritative parenting are conceptualizations of a practically identical set interactional patterns. Family processes across literatures should be further explored together to better understand the unique insights and the shared, corroborative findings between them.

Master of Arts (M.A.), Xavier University, 2018, Psychology

This study sought to examine the career advancement potential of mothers in the workplace in relation to other variables, including family-oriented workplace practices, work-family stress, career advancement self-efficacy, family-supportive organizational perceptions, and family-supportive supervisor behaviors. Additionally, this study analyzed the relationship between career advancement self-efficacy and family-oriented practices; work-family stress and family-oriented workplace practices; and career advancement self-efficacy and career advancement potential. Data collected from 101 participants showed that family-oriented workplace practices significantly predicted a mother's career advancement potential. Additionally, a significant correlation between career advancement self-efficacy and career advancement potential was found. Implications and future research directions are discussed.

Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree Program in Population Health Leadership DNP, Xavier University, 2018, Nursing

As the United States (U.S.) health care system moves towards a health promotion model, identifying those at risk for common health conditions is crucial. Comprehensive family health history (FHH) data collection and analysis has been proposed as a low cost, highly efficient and effective way to screen for common health conditions. However, patients' electronic health records (EHRs) currently do not contain enough FHH information to adequately assess for health risks. The purpose of this DNP Scholarly project was to implement a parent completed electronic family health history (eFHH) tool in a socially disadvantage, pediatric population receiving care in an urban primary care clinic. A descriptive observation study design was used to evaluate parents' use of My Family Health Portrait (MFHP), an eFHH tool. Forty parent participants were observed for ease of MFHP use to determine the feasibility of using a parent completed FHH tool. The majority of parents (85%) were able to complete the MFHP tool prior to completing provider evaluations, with 70% of parents completing a four generation family history assessment using MFHP. Facilitators for completion included: desire to enter their own information, perceived positive benefit, ease of use, internet access and enjoyed entering information. Barriers to completing the MFHP tool were: program was not intuitive, issues with unknown information, clinic interruptions, complexity of health categories, and the tool is not pediatric focused. Results support the possibility of using a parent-generated electronic family health history tool in a pediatric care setting.

Master of Humanities (MHum), Wright State University, 2008, Humanities

The purpose of this project was to extend the literature on the influence of family in the preservation of Appalachian traditional music since few scholars have focused their research on this topic. The family was the first institution in the Appalachian Mountain area, and families preserved the music by performing in their homes for themselves and friends. Families preserved the traditional music, passing it down to future generations. The music was a part of the everyday life of the Appalachian people, and it was performed, remembered, and taken with them wherever they went. Even though the music changed as the culture was influenced by outside forces, the family preserved the culture and traditions, including the musical traditions. This thesis includes the historical background of Appalachia and the settlement of the area, the values of the Appalachian people, the importance of Appalachian families in preserving the musical traditions, and the ballad musical styles of the Carter Family, the Ritchie Family, and the Queen Family.

MS, University of Cincinnati, 2010, Allied Health Sciences : Genetic Counseling

Introduction: FHH is a risk factor for chronic diseases. Pediatric practice is an optimal setting to incorporate FHH because risk factors may be identified and preventive measures implemented earlier in life, resulting in sustained and improved health outcomes. My Family Health Portrait (MFHP) is a web-based tool to help families collect and share their FHH with their health care provider. To our knowledge, providers' views about the clinical utility of MFHP, or other parent-generated FHH tools, have not been assessed in a pediatric setting. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe how pediatric providers collect and use FHH in practice and to collect data about the perceived clinical utility of MFHP as a pediatric health promotion and disease prevention tool. Methods: A random sample of 148 pediatric providers was invited to participate in a semi-structured qualitative interview. All transcripts were reviewed and coded inductively by two coders, and inter-rater reliability was determined. Results: 21 providers completed study interviews. Participants unanimously collected FHH at new patient visits and when patients present with a symptom or complaint. Most providers believed that collecting FHH of chronic disease benefits the pediatric population. The most commonly cited barrier to FHH collection was the short visit time, and the most frequently suggested idea for improving FHH was collecting it prior to the office visit. Providers believed that the use of MFHP would improve FHH collection and allow for targeted education and preventive recommendations. Respondents also identified logistical and patient characteristic issues that must be resolved to integrate MFHP into clinical practice. Conclusions: Our research suggests that pediatric primary care presents many opportunities to collect and discuss FHH with patients, and that providers are optimistic about the clinical use of a parent-generated FHH collection tool. Future research should assess par (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Science, Miami University, 2006, Family and Child Studies

This paper focuses on the conceptualization of the term family religiosity. Family religiosity has been used as a variable in many social science surveys and reports, but it has never been formally operationalized. Using several families from the Southwestern Ohio area, 69 themes, 10 constructs, and 5 major dimensions of family religiosity were discovered using basic open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. Information was gathered through grand-tour-approach-based, qualitative interviews and brief quantitative surveys. This paper also includes the limitations of the study and includes hypothetical, yet practical uses for the information presented.

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2012, Leadership and Change

Interest in family businesses has increased over the last 50 years. Little empirical research, however, has been devoted specifically to the study of family business consulting. Various practitioners have offered their insights regarding approaches and tools, and a few empirical studies have offered the practitioners' viewpoints regarding the practice area. The purpose of this study was to add to this small body of research by providing a view of family business consulting through the lens of the family business member. The chosen method of inquiry was collective case study, to allow for both contextual understanding and cross-case comparison. A total of nine participants across three cases were involved in the study. Several primary themes emerged from the study. To be considered a family business consultant by family members, a consultant needed to have entered the family business system through the family portal. The work of family business consultants was focused on inter-generational issues. Factors important to a successful consultation included chemistry with the family business leader, trust, values, and the involvement of non-business spouses. Finally, family members identified the maintenance of intact family member relationships as an important component of success in a family business consultation. Themes suggested by this study both supported and extended findings exploring family business consulting from the practitioner's point of view. The electronic version of this dissertation is at OhioLink ETD Center, www.ohiolink.edu/etd

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, 2009, Sociology

The major aim of this dissertation was to investigate how negative spillover shapes mental health status. Following the stress process model, this study also explored whether and how sociodemographic characteristics (i.e., race, gender, and age), family characteristics (i.e., length of marriage/cohabitation, spousal/partner support, and presence of children), socioeconomic resources (i.e., education, income, mortgage-payer status, renter status), and work characteristics (i.e., total work hours, job tenure, skill discretion, decision authority, coworker support, and supervisor support) moderate the relationship between negative spillover and mental health. Data were analyzed from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States 2004-06 (N=1,430) and the key outcome measures were depressive symptoms and anxious mood. With respect to depressive symptoms, the major findings indicated that negative work-to-family spillover increased symptoms. Other findings indicated that the deleterious effects of negative work-to-family spillover were moderated by gender and spousal/partner support, wherein men and individuals with higher levels of spousal/partner support experiences lower levels of depressed mood. While negative family-to-work spillover did not have main effects on depressive symptoms, this type of spillover was moderated by spousal/partner support, which acted as a protectant against spillover even in the case of high levels of negative family-to-work spillover. Similar to depressive symptoms, negative work-to-family spillover increased anxious mood. Moreover, the effect of negative work-to-family spillover on symptoms of anxiety was moderated by length of marriage/cohabitation. Lengthy married or cohabitating relationships reduced the impact of negative work-to-family spillover on anxious mood. Negative family-to-work spillover was not related to anxious symptoms; however, despite the lack of main effects, age did moderate the relationship between th (open full item for complete abstract)

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

The current study is quantitative research that used a web-based survey from multiple religious denominations in the United States to examine the relationships among perceptions of stress, work-family spillover, marital satisfaction, and family functioning of pastors. Emotional exhaustion, hours worked, personal accomplishment, and social support were analyzed as predictors from the work domain. Two measures of spillover were used to evaluate family stressors and enhancers. The stressors and enhancers were tested as mediators between work domain and personal/family life. Life satisfaction, marital satisfaction and family dysfunction were analyzed as outcome variables. The sample included 83 pastors from a convenience sample including 62 males and 21 females, with backgrounds diverse in culture, education, and denomination. Analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS (Version 26), including Pearson's correlations along with regression analysis using PROCESS macro to test for mediation. It was found that social support does increase family enhancers and work-family positive spillover but contrary to predictions, personal accomplishment appeared to impact family life by increasing emotional exhaustion, stressors, and family dysfunctions. Greater incidents of emotional exhaustion and hours worked were found to reduce the incident of enhancers and work-family positive spillover and increase family stressors and work-family negative spillover. Greater incidents of emotional exhaustion were found to reduce marital satisfaction and increase family dysfunctions. This research has practical and clinical implications for pastors, spouses, and children of pastors, educators, family scientists, therapists, and organizations who employ pastors.

Bachelor of Arts, Walsh University, 2023, Honors

This research investigated the effects of technology on family structure and family development. An online survey was utilized to recruit 117 parent and young adult participants. In response to an anticipated lack of participants, both populations were recruited from Walsh by means of a shared email, flyers, and gift card raffle. Although participants remained anonymous, there was an included section at the end of the survey for those interested in the gift card raffle to enter their contact information. Survey questions were incorporated into the study in order to approximate how much time each participant spent on media as well. The survey results showed that both groups provided responses indicative of high media usage and that students maintained higher scores for questions seven through 14, which involved an Internet Addiction Diagnostic Questionnaire. There was however, no significant difference to support that high media users reported lower rates of family functioning. ANOVA and t-test statistics were utilized through Jamovi to analyze the results of the study and explore the hypotheses.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2021, Sociology

The “Diverging Destinies” of American families has been a central focus of family demography for nearly two decades. Patterns of union and family formation associated with the second demographic transition have become stratified, particularly along the lines of maternal education, creating inequalities in children's household contexts and resources. Household wealth may also be highly relevant to increasing inequality among families as wealth predicts entry into marriage. However, unlike maternal education, household wealth gaps between family structures may grow throughout childhood as marriage facilitates subsequent wealth accumulation. Understanding the role of wealth in shaping the diverging destinies of children is vitally important given massive wealth inequality in the US and the importance of household wealth for children's college attendance and completion. In this dissertation, I use the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) to examine (1) the association between children's family structure and household wealth over time, (2) how stability and change in family structure throughout childhood shapes household wealth accumulation, and (3) the consequences of household wealth for child well-being. My analyses lead to three central conclusions. First, family structure disparities in household wealth are wide and have remained quite stable over time, even in the face of growing wealth inequality and over the course of the Great Recession. In line with past research, I find that children living with married parents have the highest levels of household wealth, followed closely by children living with a remarried parent. These children have considerably more household wealth than children living with a divorced parent, and children living with a never married parent have the lowest levels of household wealth. My second central conclusion is that family instability, but not family structure, shapes household wealth accumulation throughout childhood. Fa (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2018, Psychology/Industrial-Organizational

The goal of this dissertation was to develop and validate a single-response situational judgment test (SJT) that assesses managerial effectiveness in helping employees manage their work and family lives. To accomplish this goal, a two-part study was conducted using multi-source data. In Phase 1, a family-supportive supervision SJT and scoring key were developed from critical incidents and ratings provided by industry managers and trained subject matter experts. In Phase 2, criterion-related validity evidence and job relevance of the manager SJT scores were evaluated based on dyadic data from city government supervisors and subordinates. The test's psychometric viability was also examined by way of internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Results showed that manager SJT scores were significantly related to, and predicted, employee perceptions of family-supportive supervisor behaviors, experienced work-family conflict, and family-supportive organization perceptions but not employee ratings of manager work effort and managerial effectiveness. Interestingly, manager ability to identify effective and ineffective behaviors within this context was differentially related to employee outcomes and may be separate constructs. Evidence was also found that the pattern of relationships between manager SJT scores and employee outcomes varied depending on the gender composition of the supervisor-subordinate dyad among other variables. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2017, Leadership and Change

The purpose of this study is to gain knowledge about the relationship between sponsor and sponsee in Al-Anon Family Groups from the perspective of sponsors and sponsees in Al-Anon. The main question guiding my research is: What is the nature and quality of the sponsorship relationship as perceived by sponsors and sponsees? Nineteen men and women were interviewed and shared stories of their experience of being a sponsor and a sponsee in the Al-Anon program. I utilized a holistic-content approach to analyze the date from the interviews. To help situate the findings in current literature a discussion of sponsorship in Alcoholics Anonymous, therapy, mentoring, and other helping groups is provided. The findings suggest that there are similarities between Al-Anon sponsorship and mentoring in that both relationships progress through stages of development. The findings suggest that boundaries are an important aspect of Al-Anon that helps its members to healthily detach from other people. Al-Anon members are motivated to help based on the culture of helping found in the program as seen through its service structure and sponsorship. The leadership that Al-Anon sponsors provide finds connections with several leadership theories including, transformational, servant, relational, and authentic leadership. The electronic version of this dissertation is at AURA: Antioch University and Repository Archive, https://aura.antioch.edu/ and Ohio Link ETD Center, https://etd.ohiolink.edu

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2017, Human Ecology: Human Development and Family Science

Social-emotional competence is critical to young children's success in social and academic settings across the lifespan. Non-parental primary caregivers are important socializers of children's social emotional development, particularly through the ways they respond to children's negative emotions. Despite this, little research has examined predictors of responsiveness or the ways they interact to influence responsiveness in samples of non-parental caregivers. The detrimental influence of elevated depression and stress on individual's affect and interactions has been consistently documented in research; additionally, previous research suggests that work-family conflict may decrease responsiveness in parent samples. This study examined how depression and stress was associated with family child care providers' responsiveness, and the influence of family functioning as a mediator. Direct and indirect associations were examined utilizing structural equation modeling with a national survey of 888 small licensed family child care providers from across the United States. This study found when family child care providers perceived higher levels of general stress, they reported that they utilized less positively-focused reactions, expressive encouragement, and positive social guidance; they did not report using more negative reactions or negative social guidance. When family child care providers reported higher levels of general stress and depression, they reported lower levels of family functioning. In turn, family functioning was significantly associated with each responsiveness measure, except for negative social guidance. Providers who reported higher levels of family functioning also reported responding to children in more positive ways. Additionally, higher levels of family functioning were associated with less negative reactions from family child care providers. Bootstrap analysis results found some mediation effects from family functioning for stress and responsivenes (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, 2016, Marriage and Family Counseling/Therapy

This quantitative research study investigated forgiveness in adult sibling relationships. The goal of this study was to investigate forgiveness in adult sibling relationships and the role of relational ethics and relational satisfaction. A thorough review of the literature on Contextual theory and forgiveness in the MFT field is presented. One hundred and seventy-eight participants were included in the study to address the hypotheses, which include: (1) higher levels of relational ethics in sibling relationships are positively and significantly correlated with higher levels of forgiveness; (2) relational satisfaction in sibling relationships is significantly and positively correlated with forgiveness in sibling relationships; (3) relational ethics in sibling relationships is significantly and positively correlated with relational satisfaction in adult sibling relationships; and (4) relational satisfaction mediates the relationship between relational ethics and sibling forgiveness, such that higher levels of relational ethics will in turn lead to higher levels of relational satisfaction, which would in turn lead to higher levels of forgiveness. A discussion of the findings, limitations of the study, research and clinical implications, and direction for further research are addressed after the conclusion of the study.

Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), Ohio University, 2016, Business Administration

This thesis examines the effects of one's familial structure and financial standing on the pursuit and attainment of collegiate leadership roles in a grounded theory structure. It expands on prior studies by evaluating current collegiate leaders and their perceptions of the effects their familial structure and financial standing had on their pursuit and attainment of leadership roles within recognized student organizations.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), University of Dayton, 2015, Theology

Broadly speaking, this dissertation is a work of theological reflection within a specific context, bringing together history, ethnography, and theology to examine a form of evangelical lived religion in contemporary America. The particular situation I am exploring is the so-called “Quiverfull movement.” The Quiverfull movement is a growing subculture of American evangelicalism that has emerged over the past forty years within the networks of the Christian homeschooling movement. Quiverfull families have a very particular lived religion. They have an unlimited number of children (pronatalism), practice homeschooling exclusively, and advocate for “biblical patriarchy,” with very prescribed sex roles for men and women. Ultimately, they view their way of life as the most faithful embodiment of biblical teaching on the family, as well as the primary way that that Christians will win the culture war in America over the next few hundred years. This dissertation advances one primary thesis: Despite the apparent strangeness of their lived religion, the Quiverfull movement in America is both thoroughly evangelical and thoroughly American. Rather than offer a radical, counter-cultural vision for the Christian family, the Quiverfull movement presents a slightly modified version of something quite commonplace: a privatized, isolated nuclear family struggling (and often failing) to maintain their bonds to the broader community, the church, and other systems of support. As such, the Quiverfull movement serves as an illuminating case study of the weaknesses and blind spots of evangelical and American cultural conceptions of the family. Lacking a broader social vision or any sense of the church as an alternative society, Quiverfull families simply cannot be the radical agents for change that they desire. Instead, they re-inscribe the norms of American individualism and privatization but with a more thoroughly religious sheen. In the end, the problem is not that the Quiverfull mo (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, Youngstown State University, 2015, Northeast Ohio Master of Fine Arts (Creative Writing)

An American Family is Tom Pugh's collection of creative nonfiction essays about growing up in a family with four sisters and his parents. The collection spans decades from the 1990s through 2012. Pugh uses humor in his essays to discuss some of the hardest aspects of growing up in a large family. His essays are about life, love, death, and everything else involved in family life.

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, 2015, Marriage and Family Counseling/Therapy

This qualitative Delphi study explored the impact that a therapy animal may have when integrated into a therapy setting with couples and families. Specifically, this study's goal was to understand how the inclusion of a therapy animal impacts the feminist family therapist's ability to develop a strong therapeutic alliance, empower clients and address power. A thorough review of feminist family therapy literature, animal assisted therapy literature and a synthesis of these two fields have been provided. Nine expert panelists provided insight based on theory and experience to address the research question: How does the inclusion of a therapy animal impact the therapist's focus and application of key feminist family therapy principles, specifically (a) therapeutic alliance; (b) empowerment; (c) power? Results indicated that the inclusion of a therapy animal does enhance the therapist's ability to address these three principles. A discussion of the findings, limitations of the study, implications for therapists and direction for further research are addressed.

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2014, Antioch New England: Clinical Psychology

In this dissertation, I discuss the medical and psychological needs of families with children with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH). Due to these needs, I have designed and described a program of social support and psychoeducation to be offered to parents and families. Specifically, I discuss the difficulty that parents have when finding out that their child has CAH, the emotional toll this takes on a parent, on their relationship, and on their family. Using a Family Systems Illness Model, I designed a program that takes into account family functioning, organization, structure, and communication when determining what would be most helpful for these families at different stages in their adaptation to this disease. I then lay out a clear plan of action for implementing this program in settings where parents would gather and connect such as children's hospitals that treat their children. This program could also be used outside of a hospital setting in many different supportive environments.