In study of 100 adult child caregivers, 40 percent were experiencing conflict with another family member, usually sibling. Most conflict arose because relative failed to provide sufficient help. Caregivers experiencing family conflict had significantly higher perceived burden and poorer mental health than did caregivers without conflict.…

Sixteen white intact families with unwed teenage daughters completed two measures of family adaptability and alliance at six and eight months during the pregnancy and one month after the baby's birth. Most families became more cohesive and had improved family functioning after the pregnancy. (SLD)

Describes implementation of Professional Review Action Group (PRAG) model for reviewing cases of disrupted family reunification. Notes that model provides for care review, periodic reporting of review findings, and recommendations for and documentation of corrective actions. Explains how, in first 62 cases reviewed, both family and service…

Addresses family's experience of caring for mentally ill family member at home. Proposes model of intervention that allows therapists and families to examine content and context of psychotic material and to intervene in nonthreatening ways. Proposed model is based on psychoeducation and communications theory. Develops effectiveness of content and…

Explored experiences of 35 survivors of suicide during 9 months after suicide of family member. Although 26% reported at least one experience of perceived stigmatization related to the suicide, 69% of subjects reported experiencing strong social support from others. Most reported role uncertainty in themselves regarding how they should behave as…

Responds to previous article by Popenoe on American family decline from 1960 through 1990. Notes that, also the author agrees with Popenoe's view that the family is in decline, she and Popenoe conceptualize the family in fundamentally incompatible ways. Asserts that anthropological and historical studies suggest that family is not an institution…

Responds to previous article by Popenoe on American family decline from 1960 through 1990. Argues that it is possible to reject Popenoe's causal analysis but to accept his conclusion that there is much troubling in the American family. Considers what can be done to reduce prevalence of family distress and increase adaptive functioning of…

Responds to readers' comments concerning author's original article on the decline of the American family over the past 30 years. Considers reasons for the controversy over the notion of family decline. Contends that resolving ideological disputes is a much more difficult task than settling empirical disagreements since ideological disputes can…

Russian adolescents (N=159) were surveyed at a school near Moscow. Purposes were (1) to explore the relationship of Russian family environment with adolescent substance use and depression; (2) to use cross-national research methods for replicating U.S. studies. Many findings were similar, but others may be unique to Russian youth. (Author/EMK)

A cohort of mothers (N=734) participating in a longitudinal study was examined for any relationship between their childhood sexual abuse and childbearing characteristics. No significant effects were found for age of first child after controlling for demographic factors; however, parity was higher for sexually abused women who were married.…

Analyzed longitudinal data from a national survey of male adolescents, the Youth in Transition Survey, to test the assumption that child aggression represents a functional response to family strain. Results indicate a reciprocal relationship between parental and child aggression, characterized by countervailing effects. Contains 56 references.…

Explores the concept of rituals and presents six elements of rituals. Teaching parents how to develop simple family rituals can assist with issues and positively impact children's lives. Within the sacred space of rituals, families form deeper bonds and children develop lasting images of their parents' love. (Author/JDM)

Tests the utility of four standardized instruments used in assessing 105 families that sought services in a juvenile corrections setting for their teenage children. Results demonstrate that parents and adolescents can complete standardized assessment instruments and that the information provided can help in understanding distressed families. (RJM)

The association between interparental conflict and problem behaviors (internalized vs. externalized) of children is examined. Youth perceptions of three interparental conflict variables are studied: parents' frequency of disagreement, parents' use of an overt conflict style, and parents' covert conflict style. Individual and socioeconomic…

Discusses divorce among ethnically heterogeneous couples. Uses Australian data from the 1970s to show that divorce risks are consistent with a modified model of behavioral convergence in which divorce rates for mixed marriages are largely a function of revealed group preferences for divorce and convergence between them. A convergence model may…