Used concept mapping, along with other analytical techniques, to examine and address barriers to African-American families' involvement in the treatment of family members with mental illness. Focus groups recommended a variety of strategies for improving caregiver supports and for increasing the involvement of caregivers in the treatment process.…

Assessment of adult outcomes of 59 children from severely psychosocially dysfunctional families, who were placed in foster families for at least five years, found most had overcome their childhood adversities with 56% well-integrated socially and only 10% in situations of failure. Difficulties were linked to multiple family disturbances, traumatic…

Thirty pairs of fathers and mothers who had school-age children with developmental disabilities were compared with each other and with 32 parent pairs of typical children. Results indicated no differences between the fathers and mothers of children with disabilities; however, these parents did experience more parental stress than others.…

This commentary argues that services to treat and prevent child abuse and neglect need to bridge an unnecessary gap between practitioners and parents. The article suggests that services for parents be designed as services practitioners themselves would like to use, and that parents should be welcomed into therapy with immediate help rather than…

Examined families who decline participation in intervention and assessment components of family-focused prevention projects. Parents (n=459) identified the most important of 28 barriers. Results demonstrate that several time-related factors, logistic requirements, family member influences, and sociodemographic factors were important barriers.…

This study examined the adjustment of 93 parents within 3 months of the disclosure of extrafamilial sexual abuse of their children in comparison with a nonclinical group of 136 parents. Parents, especially mothers, of sexually abused children experienced greater overall emotional distress, poorer family functioning, and lower satisfaction in their…

Family systems theory was employed to study sibling relationships in 50 families with a child (ages 4-12) with autism. Typically developing siblings expressed satisfaction with their sibling relationships. Parents were somewhat less positive about the sibling relationships. Stress in the marital relationship was associated with compromised sibling…

Surveyed social agencies' awareness of possible developmental problems of alcohol and substance abusers' children, extent to which agency felt it could deal with the problem involving the family, and development of services for children of substance abusers. Found that many agency workers considered involvement in family problems to be part of…

Studied the influence of divorce on children's grades. The grades earned by children of divorce (N=74) and by control group children were similar, but children of manual workers had lower grade point averages than did children of higher level nonmanual employees. Study indicates that divorce alone does not significantly lower grades. (RJM)

Survey of university undergraduates (N=958) revealed that over 4% recalled being forced into oral or genital sexual abuse during childhood. Survivors reported minimal evidence of emotional or family dysfunction. However, they behaved promiscuously, attempted suicide, perpetrated sexual assault, and engaged in juvenile crimes. Findings were…

Offers a non-evaluative description of family characteristics which may be present in incestuously abusing families. Families referred for treatment (N=48) for ongoing incestuous abuse were studied. Findings indicate that a broad set of systemic variables, rather than singular psychopathology, contribute to the etiology and maintenance of…

Discusses principles associated with strength-based approaches to support families of children with disabilities: a philosophy based on family strength; a partnership approach to service; a family-centered agenda; an individualized response to family needs; a comprehensive view of family development; and an assessment of outcomes based on family…

Develops hypotheses concerning the relationship between marriage adjustment of stepfathers and their perceived involvement in the stepfamily. Analysis of data from a random sample of 60 males in a metropolitan area indicated that emotional and interactional variables were related to marriage adjustment. (Author/TE)

Parents of learning-disabled children from eight families were interviewed. Seven fields of concern emerged, including parental involvement in education, parent-school relationships, support for parents, social concerns for the child, concern for the child's future, emotional strains of parenting, and effects on the family. (Author/PB)

An inventory with five subscales was developed to identify major kinds of coping used in dealing with recurring marital problems, based on 368 subjects. The final scale of 64 items was studied to determine the scale-score attributes of subjects sorted for age, sex, education, and years married, and for aspects of validity. (Author/TE)