Browsing by Author "Rodgers, Brandon E."

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    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.
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    Grandfamilies: Parenting Satisfaction and Family Functioning
    Dolbin-MacNab, Megan L.; Sanford, Nicole M.; Rodgers, Brandon E.; Stewart, Shelley K.; Finney, Jack W.; Roberto, Karen A. (Department of Human Developmen, Department of Psychology and Center for Gerontology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, 2006-10)
    Previous research has demonstrated that grandparent caregivers experience high levels of physical, psychological, and relationship stress. However, few studies have examined how psychosocial and relationships. perspective, this exploratory study examined predictors of parenting satisfaction and family functioning among 40 grandmothers raising grandchildren. Parenting satisfaction was associated with lower levels of financial burden and better family functioning. More optimal family functioning was associated with higher parenting satisfaction, more social support, and grandmothers’ mental health (i.e., less depression and anxiety). Unexpectedly, higher financial burden was also associated with better family functioning. Findings suggest that the quality of custodial grandmothers’ family relationships is influenced by both individual and contextual factors. However, because social support and financial burden had the strongest influence, practitioners should pay particular attention to the impact of contextual factors on the quality of relationships within grandparent-headed families.