This study explores, within the framework of the literature on men in nontraditional occupations, why men choose to enter the gendered career field of family and consumer sciences (FCS) education and their experiences as FCS teachers. A better understanding of this contemporary phenomenon may facilitate men filling the national shortage of FCS…

Little is known empirically about the characteristics of couples who do and do not participate in marriage preparation. This study assessed the individual, couple, family, and sociocultural context variables that distinguish couples who become involved in marriage preparation from those who do not, using a sample of 7,331 couples. The results…

Disability labels and other social categories in school arise out of an educational system which attributes learning problems, perceived weaknesses, and academic failure to individual students. Instead, this dissertation investigates how learning problems are produced and reinforced through cultural practices. Through a two-year, cross-context…

Previous research examining effects of paternal incarceration has been limited conceptually and methodologically. Using risk and resiliency theory, the various ways children are affected by fathers' concurrent and previous incarceration are outlined. Using mixture regression, the various ways children are affected are identified. Child, family,…

In 2010, the "World Family Map Project" seeks to launch a research initiative that will track central indicators of family strength around the globe. The "World Family Map Project" (WFMP) would partner with Child Trends, a nonpartisan research organization in Washington, D.C., the Institute of Marriage and Family Canada, and…

Using data from the 2009 Australian Work and Life Index, this report examines how work-life pressures influence the capacity and motivation of individuals, particularly low-paid workers, to engage in education and training. This report is part of a larger project, "Low-paid workers and VET: Increasing VET participation amongst lower-paid…

This interview study explored the role of spirituality in the career preparation experiences of 25 university family and consumer sciences (FCS) students. All participants viewed spirituality as both a steadfast higher power and a flexible resource for providing resiliency. Participants believed their career-related experiences were meaningful…

The urgent demographic situation has led to an acute awareness of the necessity of far-reaching decisions to strengthen the family and implement radical measures of family policy. Many experts are talking about the crisis of the institution of the family, about the loss of the importance of family values among a substantial portion of Russians,…

Grounded in the patrilineal family system in presocialist China, this study explores the intersection between generation and gender dimensions of family patriarchy in influencing marital power relations. Data come from the life stories of 80 elderly married individuals, collected during the 2000-2001 period in the city of Beijing. Patterns of male…

Studies of the processes by which parents encourage early numerical development in the context of parent-child interactions during routine, culturally relevant activities at home are scarce. The present study was designed to investigate spontaneous exchanges related to numeracy during parent-child interactions in reading and play activities at…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine why the uptake of free milk in a particular nursery class was low, to explore the meanings children attribute to drinks given to them in school and those brought from home, and make suggestions as to what might be done to improve children's intake of free school milk. Design/methodology/approach:…

This study examines meanings and processes associated with religious practices of prayer, building faith, and forgiving through in-depth, qualitative interviews with six highly religious Roman Catholic families with children. Families were interviewed using a narrative approach that asked participants to share experiences and challenges related to…

In this article, we report the results of an evaluation study of a program for couples during the transition to parenthood on father involvement in child care. One-hundred-twenty couples were assigned to 1 of the 3 groups: a treatment group that received the Welcome Baby new-parent, home-visiting program focused on infant development and health,…

Addresses three concerns from family therapy perspective: current strengths and weaknesses of U.S. family life; challenges to family life in next decade; and family therapist's role in strengthening family life. Examines challenges and opportunities for family therapists in the future, viewing enhancement of functioning as vital mode of future…

Books of advice for parents on the perils of "latchkey" children were published before researchers began to investigate the topic. We argue that the early "how to" books for parents created some overgeneralizations that require rethinking. Four popular assumptions about children in self-care are examined against current theory and research…