Studies family interaction and explores the interface of husband-wife and parent-infant interactions. Results suggest that wives have a greater influence on fathering than do husbands on mothering. In some families spousal interaction precludes active involvement in parenting. In others active parental involvement provides for pleasurable spousal…

Explores relationships between family environment and family food intake. Findings indicate a significant negative relationship between the family's dysfunctional environment (indicated by high conflict, control, and organization) and family dietary intake. A significant positive relationship was found between the family's cohesive and independent…

Examines how parents use nonverbal behaviors in family situations. Results revealed that nonverbal behaviors which parents model for their children vary with the number of family members interacting, the gender of the offspring, and the gender of the parent. Results were discussed in terms of family dynamics. (Author)

Behavior modification has been used in classrooms, industry, and marriage counseling. In behavioral family therapy, the therapist examines how family members learn undesirable behaviors, how they can unlearn these behaviors, and how they can learn more desirable behaviors. This type of therapy is a method of direct treatment in which goals are…

A content analysis conducted in two successive years of family role structures and family role interaction patterns of U.S. television families constituted a role-by-role behavior description of family verbal interaction, classified within directional categories of going toward, going against, or going away. All family-role interactions, whether…

The intergenerational systems approach predicts that family interaction styles learned in the family of origin will be perpetuated in future interpersonal relationships. To investigate the relationship between the perceptions of atmosphere in the family of origin and current family, a normative sample of married couples completed the Family…

The communication patterns of two family sitcoms were examined as models for viewers. "The Cosby Show" portrays a child-centered family with parents not active in giving direction or modeling supportive communication; whereas "The Simpsons" model an adult-centered family, actively supporting each other and children and giving…

A study compared the academic achievement, classroom behavior, and emotional stability of 21 elementary school students from single-parent families to that of 21 students from intact, nuclear families. Behavior checklists were used to ascertain classroom behavior, and academic achievement was assessed through analysis of test scores on the…

Families are rule-governed systems of interdependent individuals whose interaction follows an intricate pattern of behavior. Communication patterns in a family reflect and emerge from contradictions in rules. A function may be defined as something that a system does and must do if it is not to break down. For instance identity and stability…

Historically, alcoholism has been defined as an individual problem, and as a result, family factors have received little attention. During the past decade, however, a new theoretical-methodological perspective has been introduced which draws upon general systems theory for rationale, family theory for substance, and behavioral psychology for…

Since the early 1980s researchers have increasingly turned to family systems theory and stress and coping theory to conceptualize the relationship between parental adjustment and children's adaptive process. The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of maternal coping strategies upon the adaptive processes of children. That is, how…

To gain perspective on how the structure of a family impacts young people, data from a national study conducted by the Search Institute were reexamined. Of the 47,000 students of the study, 8,266 live in a single parent household, due largely to divorce. Analysis focused on at-risk behavior, deficits, and the dynamics of healthy single-parent…