VTechWorks Repository :: Browsing by Author "Dolbin-MacNab, Megan L."

Browsing by Author "Dolbin-MacNab, Megan L."

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Adapting Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) to Custodial Grandparents
Murphy, Haley Gordon (Virginia Tech, 2018-06-13)
As the structure of the American family changes, it is becoming more common for children to be raised by their grandparents. In fact, over the past 40 years, there has been a 50% increase in grandparent-headed homes in the US (Ellis and Simmons, 2014). Custodial grandparents, who provide primary caregiving responsibilities for their grandchildren, often become responsible for their grandchildren due to distressing situations and report many social-emotional, physical, and psychological difficulties (e.g., Hayslip and Kaminski, 2005). Additionally, children of custodial grandparents have been found to have significantly more emotional and behavioral problems than non-custodial grandchildren (Smith and Palmieri, 2007). The main parenting resource for this population is often support-groups, which often do not provide needed assistance with discipline and behavior management. The overall purpose of this study was to adapt Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) to custodial grandparents, using a consumer-oriented approach. The study was completed in three discrete stages. During Stage 1, qualitative interviews with custodial grandparents were completed to collect further information about custodial grandparents' experience parenting their grandchildren, use of parenting resources, and opinion of parenting strategies and PCIT. Findings from this stage indicated that custodial grandparents were amenable to PCIT procedures, but experienced significant barriers in accessing parenting services. Due to these barriers, a service delivery adaptation was developed and an online intervention was created (Stage 2) to transcend treatment barriers. Finally, during Stage 3, this online intervention was tested in a small single-subject design pilot study. Multiple metrics supported the feasibility, accessibility, satisfaction, and initial treatment efficacy of this intervention. All participants demonstrated clinically significant reductions in at least two symptom measures and reported satisfaction with the online intervention. Overall, results provide preliminary support for the use of online interventions to teach PCIT strategies and support future research on online interventions for this population.
Ambiguous Freedom: A Grounded Theoretical Analysis of Life Outside Prison
Kennington, Mathis Alan Vila (Virginia Tech, 2013-11-18)
Prisonization refers to the idea that prisoners assimilate to prison society, import criminogenic characteristics, and are deprived by prison culture. Post-carceral prisonization is the process by which excarcerated prisoners (EXP) are socialized by features of prisonization that persist after release, and which manifest under probation and parole. Post-carceral prisonization occurs as a result of stigma and discrimination and a lack of access to crucial resources like employment, housing, and prosocial ties. EXPs make a decision to change their lives during or immediately following release from prison or jail, usually accompanied by a spiritual or religious change. EXPs seek to reform identities constructed both by years of incarceration and by their experiences with "prison satellites" which are prisonization agents that emerge after release. Hindered by a loss of social, economic, and material assets, the threat of sudden and unexplainable incarceration, and lifelong criminal stigma, EXPs endeavor to positively reform their identities and their lives.
Attachment Styles and Enneagram Types: Development and Testing of an Integrated Typology for use in Marriage and Family Therapy
Arthur, Kristin Bedow (Virginia Tech, 2008-08-29)
This study developed and tested a new typology for use in Marriage and Family Therapy. The typology was created by integrating two already established typologies currently in use in MFT, the attachment style typology and the Enneagram typology. The attachment typology is based on attachment theory, a theory of human development that focuses on how infants and adults establish, monitor and repair attachment bonds. Differences in attachment style are associated with different kinds of relationship problems. The Enneagram typology categorizes people according to differences in attention processes. These differences in attention processes are also associated with different kinds of relationship problems, but also with different kinds of spiritual problems and talents. Support was found for both the internal and external validity of the integrated typology. The results were discussed in terms of relationship satisfaction and attachment based therapy. Implications for using the integrated typology to address spirituality in MFT were also discussed.
Black Lesbian Families and Their Relationships With Their Families of Origin
Glass, Valerie Q. (Virginia Tech, 2010-10-26)
Twenty-two African American lesbians were interviewed in order to identify and examine the intersection of individual and family processes that African American lesbian couples engage in as a family with members of their families of origin. A qualitative research design based on grounded theory methods was used. Data were interpreted using an integrative framework of postmodern feminism, Black feminism, and symbolic interactionism. Findings revealed three major themes: a) Black lesbian couples go through a coming out process as a couple and as individuals, at times, simultaneously; b) Black lesbian families establish and enforce boundaries to protect their intentional, co-created families, and this boundary definition shapes lesbian family identity, and c) resources accessible from informal social supports by African American lesbian families are different from the types of social support and resources available to Black lesbian individuals. These findings provide valuable insights into lesbian family processes that can assist family studies, feminist scholars, family therapists, and community practitioners in identifying future research directions and clinical practices appropriate for African American lesbian families.
Boundary Ambiguity and Ambivalence in Military Family Reintegration
Hollingsworth, William-Glenn Langley (Virginia Tech, 2014-03-13)
Since the beginning of the Global War on Terror, almost three million children, spouses, and adult dependents have been directly affected by the deployment experiences of more than two million service members. This study examined the applicability of the Contextual Model of Family Stress (Boss, 2002) to a reintegrating military family sample (N = 228) by assessing the effects of external, military-related contextual factors (i.e., rank, component, combat exposure, length of time home post-deployment, and cumulative length of deployments) and internal contextual factors of boundary ambiguity and family and deployment-related ambivalence on family functioning. Quantitative data were taken from a national survey of service members from multiple branches of the United States military. A hierarchical regression analysis revealed that, as a whole, the addition of the military-related contextual factors, boundary ambiguity, and the ambivalence variables made a significant contribution to the prediction of family functioning, controlling for all previously entered variables. Service members from lower ranks and those who had been home for longer periods of time reported poorer family functioning. Higher degrees of boundary ambiguity and family ambivalence were also associated with poorer family functioning. The results from this study extend existing theoretical applications of the Contextual Model (Boss, 2002) to military families through the incorporation of boundary ambiguity and ambivalence. Findings will also inform interventions aimed at promoting family resilience in the military population during the post-deployment period.
A Common-Factors Informed Mixed Methods Investigation of Clients of MFTs’ Perception of Therapy Productiveness
D'Aniello, Carissa (Virginia Tech, 2015-05-01)
Many clients drop out of therapy before reaching their goals, (Bohart & Wade, 2013) though research shows that being in therapy is more effective in producing change than not being in therapy, (Lambert, 1992). Little is known about what makes therapy effective (Davis & Piercy, 2007a, b; Pinsof & Wynne, 2000). The purpose of the present study was to understand what clients believe is productive about therapy, and how clients’ assessment of therapy productiveness impacts their decision to remain in therapy or to drop out of therapy. For the qualitative strand of this simultaneous convergent mixed methods study, grounded theory was used to inductively develop a common-factors informed model describing how productive change processes influence intended retention. The convenience sample consisted of 19 current clients in therapy with a marriage and family therapist. For the quantitative strand, participation involved completing a semi-structured interview and quantitative survey. Direct, binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine whether perceived productiveness, goal attainment and therapeutic alliance, predicted intended treatment retention or intended dropout. The convenience sample for quantitative analysis included the 19 qualitative participants, and continued sampling until adequate statistical power was reached with 72 participants. Mixed analysis strategy was data comparison for the purpose of triangulation. Qualitative results span three categories emerged from qualitative: client factors, therapy process factors and evaluation of progress. Client factors, including presenting problem factors, expectations and motivation were considered when participants made decisions about staying in therapy or dropping out of iii therapy. Therapy process factors, including therapists’ understanding of the presenting problem, therapeutic alliance, therapists interventions and the pacing and timing of those interventions were also considered when participants made decisions about staying in therapy or dropping out of therapy. When participants evaluated the progress made because of therapy, they evaluated changes in the presenting problem, symptom reduction, and noticed this progress took place outside of therapy. Quantitative results showed that goal attainment, therapeutic alliance and productiveness significantly predicted intended retention when each was tested as an individual predictor. When tested in a full model, containing goal attainment, therapeutic alliance and productiveness; only the task domain of therapeutic alliance emerged as significant. Results confirm the importance of therapeutic tasks to clients’ decision to stay in therapy or to drop out of therapy. Results contribute to the importance of common factors in keeping clients in therapy until they reach their goals. Further, results inform research, clinical practice and training in the MFT field.
The Contribution of Common Factors to Therapeutic Outcomes from the Clinician's Perspective: A Mixed Method Study to Explore Common Mechanisms of Change
Karimi, Hassan (Virginia Tech, 2015-11-23)
While the Common Factors (CFs) model is becoming more popular it has been criticized for the lack of empirical evidence compared to empirically supported treatments and the lack of capacity to guide clinicians on what to do and when to do it in the course of therapy. This parallel mixed methods study addressed both of these critiques. In phase one, a Common Factors Questionnaire (Karimi-CFQ) was developed to collect empirical data of CFs. In phase two, the Karimi-CFQ was administered to 391 clinicians in the United States to survey the therapists' perspective regarding the contribution of common factors to therapy outcomes. In this phase data was also collected to assess the relationship between clinicians' demographic characteristics and their perceived contribution of common factors to therapeutic change. The CFQ Cronbach's Alpha and Split-half reliability were .84 and .87, respectively. Content Validity Index by expert panel, concurrent validity, and construct validity including Exploratory Factors Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA, χ²=797.96, df=326; RMSEA=.06; CFI=.83) evaluated the validity of the scale. Clinicians across five clinical orientations (Integrative, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Humanistic, Psychodynamic, Postmodern) and three mental health disciplines (marriage and family therapy, psychology, counseling) attributed 69% of therapeutic change to common factors versus 31% to model-specific factors. Clinicians attributed different contributions to specific components of the CFs model: client (25%), therapist (20%), relationship (23%), hope (12%), non-theory specific (11%), and systemic (9%). Particular clinicians' characteristics (e.g., gender, year of experience) were found to be associated with contributions of specific components of CFs. In phase three, six CF experts were invited to respond to open-ended questions via Wiki that explored how and when experienced therapists use specific common factors in the course of therapy to reach to their therapy goals. Thematic Analysis (TA) generated a chronological map with specific themes that can guide clinicians on how and when specific CFs can be used in each of the three stages of therapy (i.e. Initial, Intermediate, Termination). Findings further indicated that CFs and model-specific factors can be operationally defined and empirically studied within the same evidence-based practice framework. Clinical and research implications of the results are also discussed.
A Cybernetic analysis of the United States of America's relationship with Iraq
Morris, Matthew T. (Virginia Tech, 2006-12-11)
This study applied a theory of marriage and family therapy, specifically cybernetics, to the relationship between the US and Iraqi governments. This study also attempts to describe recent changes in Iraq incurred during the ongoing war in Iraq as either first- or second-order change. Taken from 2001 to 2005, 76 print media articles describing the war in Iraq from three major US news sources were analyzed using grounded theory methodology. Four prominent themes: Military Operation, Costs, Perceptions, and Transition, were identified and described in cybernetic terms such as recursive processes, circular causality, and punctuation. Results suggested that international relationships can be described cybernetically, and that many recursive processes were evident in the war in Iraq. Results also show that determining first- or second-order change is very difficult in large system analyses. Implications for this research are presented and discussed.
Development of the Multicultural Competency Inventory-Client Version
Cole, Elise Marie (Virginia Tech, 2008-05-29)
Family therapists face a dramatic increase in the cultural diversity of their clients. Multicultural competence will help family therapists meet the needs of their increasingly diverse clientele (Kocarek, Talbot, Batka, & Anderson, 2001). The measurement of multicultural competence is necessary in order to evaluate the outcomes of multicultural competence programs and the services that minority persons receive. This study reports the development of an instrument to assess clients' perceptions of their therapists' multicultural competence that can be used in individual and family therapy. This instrument was developed through three phases: item generation and theme development, client feedback and evaluation of interrater reliability, and pilot and validity testing. Winsteps (Linacre, 2001) software was used to scale the measurement data to the Rasch Rating Scale Model, and evaluate the dimensionality, rating scale use, item fit, person fit, reliability and precision, as well as to create norms for interpreting the measures. Preliminary support for the MTCI-CV suggests a fairly reliable and valid measure at this stage. Additionally, logistic ordinal regressions were conducted to determine whether MTCI-CV measures are associated with client satisfaction level and goal attainment level. We found that positive client perceptions of therapist cultural competence (on the MTCI-CV) significantly contribute to the probability of clients expressing satisfaction and goal attainment in therapy.
Doing the Right Thing: Relational Ethics in Institutional Caregiving for Veterans
Ford, James Leslie (Virginia Tech, 2008-10-24)
This research explored psychological, social, and relational aspects of caregiving. It examined documented resolution of ethical dilemmas precipitated by veterans' medical crises and involved formal caregivers, informal caregivers, and veteran patients. The unit of analysis was caregiving relationships. The main research question asked, how does case documentation and documented processes of resolving ethical dilemmas in institutional healthcare for veterans reflect relational ethics? Relational ethics was defined as fairness of interpersonal give and take and included efforts to elicit, understand, and honor veteran's values and care preferences. The caregiving context was a Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC). The research population was 25 male veterans whose cases required intervention by the VAMC ethics committee. The research was conducted in three phases using grounded theory methodology. The research purpose, guided by symbolic interaction theory, was to develop substantive theory in relational ethics. Study analyses used Atlas.ti qualitative software. Main study one, Veteran-Formal Caregiver Relations, focused on relational processes internal to the VAMC. It explored how members of professional healthcare disciplines documented ethical caregiving concerns amongst themselves and in interactions with veteran patients. Agency emerged as the core category. Agency meant that veteran patients could make choices and act on those choices in ways that impacted their care. When veterans' agency was compromised, formal caregivers' roles became more salient. The substantive theory was the dynamic process of clarifying agency. Main study two, Formal-Informal Caregiver Relations, focused on interactions between VAMC staff and veterans' significant others. It explored medical center staff communications with informal caregivers regarding veterans' health problems. Documented interactions confirmed the impact of relational ethics. Agendas and advocacy emerged as key categories that determined and respected veterans' relational autonomy. Relational autonomy validated other ethical concerns and resource demands, considered social context, and included obligations as well as entitlements. The substantive theory was the agenda to advocate for relational autonomy. Substantive theories from the two main studies were integrated. Categorical dimensions were combined into substantive theory; that doing the right thing in institutional caregiving for veterans was the dynamic process of clarifying agency with the agenda to advocate for relational autonomy.
An Ecological Approach to Understanding the Stigma Associated with Receiving Mental Health Services: The Role of Social Proximity
Rodgers, Brandon E. (Virginia Tech, 2009-12-03)
Mental health services suffer the substantial limitation of helping only those who seek their assistance. Previous research has demonstrated that mental health stigma, including social and self-stigma, is one of the most significant barriers to an individual seeking available mental health services. Additionally, low levels of social proximity to mental illness may be a significant factor in increased social and self-stigma. Informed by ecological systems theory, this research examined demographic (i.e., gender, race/ethnicity, university) and social proximity factors (i.e., level of familiarity with mental illness and mental health services) that contributed to the mental health stigma associated with seeking mental health services within a university population. Web-based survey responses from 410 undergraduate students at two universities were obtained. A series of hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that while controlling for gender, race/ethnicity, and university, having personally received mental health services predicted lower levels of mental health self-stigma. Consistent with previous findings, a significant predictive quality of social stigma towards self-stigma was also found. However, none of the models utilizing social proximity factors to predict social stigma were significant. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.
Elements of Motivational Interviewing as Common Factors across Exemplary Marriage and Family Therapy Demonstrations
Keskin, Yesim (Virginia Tech, 2017-06-09)
In both individual and relational psychotherapy contexts, it has been argued that the effectiveness of psychotherapy practice is associated with common factors cutting across the models including client factors, therapist factors, hope/expectancy of the clients, allegiance of the therapists, the quality of therapeutic relationship, and the basic counseling skills rather than model specific factors (Davis and Piercy, 2007a, 2007b; Lambert, 1992; Hubble, Duncan, and Miller, 1999; Sprenkle, Davis, and LeBow, 2009; Sprenkle, Davis, and LeBow, 2009; Wampold, 2001, 2008, 2015). However, the common factors perspective has been criticized for not having a theoretical framework, operationalization of its elements, and research support (Sexton, Ridley, and Kleiner, 2004). Despite gradually increasing interest in the literature, the research exploring the common factors of effective psychotherapy practice is still in its baby steps in the context of relational psychotherapy. In this study, motivational interviewing (MI) is presented as a theoretical framework and a practical research tool for exploring common factors in the context of relational psychotherapy. The research questions of to what extent motivational interviewing elements are implemented in the context of relational psychotherapy and to what extent therapist behaviors are associated with client change behaviors were explored by using task analysis and sequential analysis methodologies. Using the AAMFT Masters Series Tapes of MFT Model developers, including Boszmormenyi-Nagy, Minuchin, Satir, Whitaker, and White, the exemplary demonstrations of relational psychotherapy were rated on the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity Scale (MITI 4.2.1., Moyers et al., 2014) for therapist behaviors and on the Motivational Interviewing Skills Code-Client Behaviors Scale (MISC; Miller, Moyers, Ernst, and Amrhein, 2003) and the Experiencing Scale (EX; Klein, Mathieu, Kiesler, and Gendlin, 1969) for the client change behaviors. The results are discussed in terms of a common factors perspective.
An Examination of the Impact of Studying Abroad with AFS on Level of Differentiation
Issenmann, Anthony John (Virginia Tech, 2008-10-06)
The purpose of this study was to examine differences in the changes in levels of differentiation, as measured by the Differentiation of Self Inventory (DSI) (Knauth & Skowron, 2004), that occurred among high school students who participated in a semester-long (n = 69) and year-long (n = 119) AFS (formerly known as American Field Service) program and a control group (n = 75) that did not study abroad. Gender of student and level of individualism of host country were also examined. The DSI full scale and four subscales: emotional reactivity, I position, emotional cutoff, and fusion with others were used to assess levels of differentiation. This study was a non-equivalent control group experimental pretest-posttest design. Pretest scores were used as the covariate in the posttest ANCOVA. Results revealed that female students who studied abroad for both one year and one semester experienced significant increases in levels of differentiation as measured by the DSI full scale versus female students who did not study abroad. There were no significant differences among males who studied abroad for one year, one semester or not at all. Additional results indicate a significant difference in changes in level of differentiation, as measured by the DSI full scale, between genders in the control group and the semester abroad group. Additional gender differences were revealed on the emotional reactivity and fusion with others subscales. Level of host country's individualism was not a significant factor. Results support previous literature which states that males and females engage in differing processes when forming their identity. Results also demonstrate that studying abroad is a meaningful life experience significant enough to assist females with increasing levels of differentiation. Additional results, a discussion of the results, limitations, and implications for practice and research are also provided.
An Exploration of Feminist Family Therapists' Resistance to and Collusion with Oppression
Goodwin, Annabelle Michelle (Virginia Tech, 2011-05-03)
In this study, I explore the ways in which feminist family therapists encourage exploration of, resistance to, and collusion with, oppression. I explore qualitatively the critical dialogues, both inner, and with others, that feminist family therapists employ to address oppressive systems. My research questions are: a. How do family therapists who identify as feminist describe how their feminist identities and ideas about feminism have evolved over time? b. How do feminist family therapists report stories of their own resistance to gender-based oppression? c. How do feminist family therapists report stories of their own collusion with the oppression of others? And d. How do feminist family therapists encourage clients to examine oppression and collusion of oppression of others? I use tape-recorded, one-on-one interviews with a theoretical sample of self-identified feminist participants who have demonstrated rigorous attention to feminist inquiry and practice in the field of family therapy. Consistent with a contemporary grounded theory methodology, generation of theory is based on constructivist methods, which recognize that there are multiple coexisting realities and not one objective truth (Charmaz, 2000). By way of constructivist grounded theory analysis the following four categories emerged: (a) Actions and Strategies of a Feminist Family Therapist, (b) It's a Sensibility: The Development of a Feminist Identity, (c) Recognizing Oppression and Injustice: A Quest for Liberation and (d) Resisting: Exploring Why, How, and at the Risk of Which Consequences.
Expressed Emotion in Families with Mild Cognitive Impairment
Pasymowski, Stefan G. (Virginia Tech, 2015-07-06)
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a medical diagnosis that is conceptualized as existing on a continuum between normal cognitive aging and dementia. While a growing body of research has established the impact of this condition on family members' emotional well-being, as well as the quality of family relationships, the reciprocal impact of family dynamics and the family environment on illness course has received much less attention. Expressed emotion (EE) is a measure of the family emotional climate that has been established as being highly predictive of relapse and symptom exacerbation for a variety of mental health disorders. The recent integration of attribution theory with EE has offered new insights into the underlying attitudes and beliefs that give rise to it. This mixed methods study applied the attribution model of EE to test the validity of EE in predicting the illness course of MCI, and to identify family members' attributions regarding MCI-related behaviors and symptoms that underlie their EE status. The study sample included 57 family dyads consisting of a person with MCI and a family member providing primary care or assistance. The results of the ANCOVA did not support the hypothesis that EE status would predict changes in the non-cognitive features of MCI over time. However, methods of thematic analysis revealed four major themes, or care partner attributional stances: (a) non-blaming, (b) blaming, (c) variable, and (d) no identified. The analysis also revealed three subthemes, or attributional styles, within the variable stance: (a) ambivalent, (b) mixed, and (c) complex. These attributional stances and styles intersected with family EE status in notable ways and form the basis for future research in this area, as well as clinical interventions with these families that promote adaptation to the illness.
Faith of Our Mothers: Religiosity in Adult Daughter-Mother Relationships
Earles, Lesley Ann (Virginia Tech, 2016-07-06)
In this hermeneutic phenomenological study, a purposive sample of 12 religious women considered their experiences of religiosity with their mothers and larger family systems. Adult daughters reflected on the significance and meaning of religion in their lives and relationships, particularly the interaction of mothers and adult daughters concerning spirituality, beliefs, and experiences including intergenerational transmission of religiosity. Adult daughters were queried regarding maternal religious influence and the challenges of being women. Data were collected to saturation and analyzed to consider individual narratives about families into the development of three themes: Family Connections, Religious Consciousness, and Encountering Community. Gilligan's theory of moral development, including the ethic of caretaking, is employed to consider religiosity in the adult daughter-mother relationship. Limitations, clinical implications, and future directions are explored. In summary, spheroids increase anti-inflammatory potential of eBMSCs and are practical for clinical use. Increased anti-inflammatory efficacy was demonstrated in a model of in vivo inflammation. This dissertation provides an understanding of the anti-inflammatory activities of eBMSC spheroids that can be used to develop an OA therapy.
Family and Clinician Effects on Costs of Psychiatric Emergency Services Dispositions
Nielson, L. Reece (Virginia Tech, 2009-03-26)
Families play a key role in psychiatric emergency services (PES). Given the cost of PES in terms of dollars and restrictiveness, clients, families, providers, payers, and policymakers involved in these services need more understanding of how families affect these key PES outcomes. Marriage and family therapy theories offer frameworks for understanding family and provider system dynamics in PES. This study explores how family presence and family quality influence restrictiveness and cost of PES dispositions, and how they moderate the effect of suicide risk, homicide risk, and inability to care for self on those outcomes. The sample of 306 clients and 33 clinicians was drawn from the records of a mobile PES unit serving a rural area. A regression-based, quantitative methodology, Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM), was employed to explore associations between restrictiveness and client risk and family factors, as well as differences in dispositions between PES clinicians. In order to extend practical implications, the same questions were also examined in monetary terms by translating restrictiveness into cost of dispositions. Results show inability to care for self and suicide risk to be the strongest predictors of increased restrictiveness and cost. Family quality appeared to reduce restrictiveness but not cost and only when not considering interactions with individual risk factors. When interactions were considered, family quality exhibited a statistically significant disordinal interaction with inability to care for self. That is, when clients were unable to care for self, positive family quality worked toward increasing restrictiveness and cost, perhaps due to families seeking help for the client. However, when clients were able to care for self, positive family quality worked in the opposite direction (i.e., toward reducing restrictiveness and cost). Theoretical and practical implications of this interaction were considered. There was found no significant variability in dispositions and associated costs between clinicians, which may be evidence of standardized clinician training and procedures. Non-standardized instrumentation, lack of comparison with other programs or sites, and limited cell sample size are limitations of the study. This study shows the complexity of family systems in PES and provides basis for recommendations for future research and clinical practice.
Gender-Specific Parent-Child Relationship Factors and Substance Use among At-Risk Adolescents
West, Jamie Marie (Virginia Tech, 2017-06-19)
Substance use is a growing concern among adolescents because it is a threat to their well-being and associated with negative outcomes in later life (NIH, 2014). Adolescence is a developmentally important time where independence grows, risks are taken, and some begin to experiment with substances (Burrow-Sanchez, 2006). Further, there is a high association between substance use and risk-taking behaviors, which can lead to involvement in the juvenile justice system. The rates of substance use are more alarming for juvenile delinquents (78%) (National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, 2004). Along with risk factors associated with early onset substance use, researchers have identified several protective factors including involvement in positive relationships with parents. In this dissertation, I studied gender-specific relationships between parent and child that were associated with lower rates of substance use among at-risk adolescents. I investigated if this relationship mitigated the effects of negative peer association on substance use among adolescents. Hierarchical logistic regression was used to complete analysis using secondary data. The sample consisted of 166 adolescents who were involved in the juvenile justice system. Results showed that higher relationship quality with mothers was found to be statistically significant in predicting lower substance use. Overall, gender was not found to predict substance use, nor did it moderate the relationship between negative peer association and substance use. Results from this study can inform prevention and intervention efforts by heightening awareness regarding the protective nature of relationships with parents, specifically with mothers for at-risk adolescents. Further research is needed to explore these gender differences more in-depth. It will be important to continue to explore gender-specific relationships and the various aspects of parenting that can lower the risk for substance use among at-risk adolescents.
Getting Them In: An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Study with Implications towards Marketing Marriage and Family Therapy
Austin, Jason Paul (Virginia Tech, 2015-04-12)
The purpose of this sequential exploratory mixed methods study was to develop and test a theory of planned behavior questionnaire that includes both direct and belief-based measures for seeking professional help from a MFT for participants and their spouses during times of relationship distress. To complete this goal, three focus groups (N = 24) were conducted to elicit the salient behavioral, normative, and control beliefs associated with seeking professional help from a MFT for participants and their spouses during times of relationship distress. The data was member checked and then analyzed using thematic analysis. Next, two quantitative measures were constructed, one using the salient beliefs elicited during the focus groups and the second using general questions that assessed participants' overall attitude, perceived norm, and perceived behavioral control. Both measures were placed online pilot tested (N = 102) using Qualtrics panels. The results suggest that the measures were accurate predictors of behavioral intention. The main stage then used both measures to assess the predictive ability of the elicited beliefs. The results also suggest that the beliefs accurately predicted participants' behavioral intentions for seeking professional help from a MFT for them and their spouses during times of relationship distress. The results also indicate that an intervention could be used to encourage troubled individuals, couples, and families to seek professional help from a MFT when experiencing relational issues.
Grandchildren as Caregivers for Their Custodial Grandmothers: Who Are They and How Are They Doing?
Dolbin-MacNab, Megan L.; Roberto, Karen A. (Virginia Tech, 2010-11-20)
This presentation explores how grandchildren as caregivers balance their caregiving responsibilities with the normative developmental tasks of adolescence.

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