The effects of parental illness and other ill family members on youth caregiving experiences

Informed by a model of family role redistribution derived from the family ecology framework, this study examined differences in two proposed psychological components of role redistribution (youth caregiving experiences and responsibilities) between youth of a parent with illness and their peers from ‘healthy’ families controlling for the effects of whether a parent is ill or some other family member, illness type and demographics. Based on self-report questionnaire data, four groups of Australian children were derived from a community sample of 2474 youth (‘healthy’ family, n = 1768; parental illness, n = 336; other family member illness (OFMI), n = 254; both parental and OFMI, n = 116). The presence of any family member with a serious illness is associated with an intensification of youth caregiving experiences relative to peers from healthy families. This risk is elevated if the ill family member is a parent, if more illnesses are present and by certain youth and family demographics, and especially by higher caregiving responsibilities. The presence of a family member, particularly a parent, with a serious medical condition has pervasive increased effects on youth caregiving compared to healthy families, and these effects are not fully accounted for by illness type, demographics or caregiving responsibilities.     

Evidence-based practice: A challenge for European developmental psychology

In recent years the evidence-based practice movement has been seeing great gains in impact. Standards for research leading to evidence-based practice have been defined. So far, however, in the area of education standards of evidence are not extensively implemented and in most federal European policies an evidence-based reform has not been attained. The present paper advocates investing effort in evidence-based practice. In particular, the paper invites European developmental psychology and its representatives to transfer their knowledge and contribute to evidence-based practice which, in turn, will foster positive child and youth development. Incipiently, the paper discusses the new challenges facing universities and European scientific societies as contexts for scientific disciplines and their perspectives. Then, current directions in developmental psychology are described. The central section of the paper focuses on standards of evidence and the use of research for evidence-based practice and policy. It highlights the challenge facing European developmental psychology concerning active contribution to evidence-based practice. Two empirical examples are presented: (1) illustrating that kindergarten and school are the places where evidence-based practice preventions and interventions should take place; and (2) describing various steps of the transfer of basic research to evidence-based practice. Finally, the contribution that the European Society for Developmental Psychology can make to support the transfer of knowledge to evidence-based practice is outlined.     

Youth purpose during the great recession: A mixed-methods study

ABSTRACT

Although research reveals purpose can buffer youth from negative states in other contexts, little is known about how youth with purpose function amidst significant economic challenges. This sequential explanatory mixed-methods study, conducted with a sample of Greek youth during the Great Recession, sought to determine (1) if the presence of purpose buffered youth from the potentially demoralizing effects of the economic crisis, and if so, (2) how it managed to do so. Survey results suggest youth with high purpose scores were resilient enough to look past the present challenges and envision a positive future. Qualitative findings suggest youth with purpose remained hopeful about the future by focusing on commitments to their friends, families, communities, and country, and at times, by tuning out the negative economic news. Implications of these findings for positive youth development are discussed.     

Talent Development and the Luck Problem

This paper examines the relationship between the development of talented young sports people and conceptions of social justice. It is set within the context of recent policy developments in the United Kingdom that place renewed emphasis on talent development (and wider issues of ‘gifted and talented education’), and justifies this with explicit reference to social justice. After providing a summary of relevant policy initiatives and their often-unstated presumptions, the paper goes on to examine the different ways in which philosophers have conceptualised the role of luck in human affairs. Luck is a matter of particular interest to social justice theorists, who often frame their discussions in terms of the neutralisation of luck. This presents something of a problem for policy makers, as talent development seems destined to exaggerate the effects of luck, not neutralise them. In other words, it is suggested here that talent development cannot be justified in terms of social justice – at least the version of social justice advocated my many of the leading theorists – because it results in the opposite outcome than would be desired. None of this means that talent development is indefensible; it is just indefensible in the terms used in the UK talent development policy.     

Relationship of Recalled Parenting Style to Self-Perception in Korean American College Students

The authors examined the relationship of authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive parenting styles and the number of years in the United States with self-perception (academic competence, morality, and self-reliance) as recalled by Korean American college students (N = 144). Authoritative parenting behaviors were most common in Korean American families, followed by authoritarian behaviors, with permissive behaviors a distant 3rd. Authoritative parenting styles and the number of years lived in the United States were predictive of higher academic competence. Authoritarian and permissive parenting styles were predictive of lower self-reliance, whereas number of years lived in the United States was related to higher self-reliance. Those findings provide partial support for generalizing D. Baumrind's (1971) model of parenting styles to Korean American families, and the findings demonstrate the importance of considering acculturation issues in parenting studies.     

Response

The theme of love has long been neglected in studies on African myths. The often-heard explanation is that African myths and folktales do not tell stories about love because they primarily express social interests and obligations while love ‐ intended as both emotional imperative and biological drive ‐ is an individual need and feeling. This latter definition relies on a very specific understanding of ‘love’: the Romantic love of 19th century European novels. This paper argues that when love means attraction, affection, passion, and necessity, it turns up as liaisons dangereuses in many African narratives. Love becomes a driving force that generates gender constructions by reinforcing the unity of the couple or by fuelling the struggle between partners. In the case of Kabyle narratives (Algeria),1 conceptualisations of love as well as the relationships between myths and folktales are explored by analyzing formula tales2 and the only known collection of Kabyle Berber myths: those collected by Leo Frobenius, ethnologist and historian of religion, at the beginning of the 20th century and published in the first volume of his Volksmarchen der Kabylen in 1921. The discussion of the relationship between Kabyle myths and folktales touches upon a well-known interpretative problem in the study of religion: the articulation of myth and ritual with history as communities respond to sweeping social, political, and religious changes, such as the coming of Islam, colonization, decolonization, and globalization.     

Mizuko kuyō in the abortion cultural wars: The rhetorical appropriation of Japanese Buddhism by non-Buddhist Americans

Mizuko kuyō, the popular Japanese Buddhist memorial service for aborted fetuses, has been increasingly appropriated by both sides of the contentious American abortion debate. In the wake of exposure to the idea of mizuko kuyō, both pro-life and pro-choice Buddhist appropriators resort to discussions of the ritual because they feel it helps them strengthen the weaknesses of their own sides and undermine the positions of their opponents. Prolife Americans use mizuko kuyō to prove that they care about women, not just fetuses, and that their convictions do not arise simply out of private religious feelings but objective psychological and medical facts. Pro-choice Americans, on the other hand, use mizuko kuyō to demonstrate that they care about families and children, not just women, and that they are sensitive not only to the secular but also the religious aspects of life and abortion. In the process, pro-life Christians, who seem to be primarily motivated by their exclusivist and authoritarian Biblical convictions, turn for support to a non-theistic religion they otherwise oppose; pro-choice feminists, who seem to have chiefly secular reasons for supporting abortion rights, turn for support to a supernatural entity and his retinue of angry fetal ghosts     

Creativity of Chinese and American Cultures: A Synthetic Analysis

The article integrates the seven papers of the two special issues with a special focus on discussing the differences in people's beliefs about creativity between the Chinese and American cultures: How it is conceived, evaluated, and nurtured. It uses three metaphors to capture major differences in these aspects, and highlights areas with profound cultural variations in conceptions and creative education for future research.     

Project HOPE: Implementing Sensory Experiences for Suicide Prevention in a Native American Community

Suicide remains a significant problem for Native American populations; however, culturally appropriate interventions are lacking (Suicide Prevention Resource Center, 2011 Suicide Prevention Resource Center . ( 2011 ). Suicide Among American Indians/Alaska Natives. Retrieved from http://www.sprc.org/library/ai.an.facts.pdf  [Google Scholar]). Occupational therapy practitioners can aid in suicide prevention and intervention (American Occupational Therapy Association, 2005). This study presents a culturally appropriate program and research project following a community-based participatory research design that explores the impact of a sensory curriculum for suicide prevention on Native American youth. The perceptions of the young peoples' sensory experiences are explored. Evidence from the study demonstrates the value of exploring the use of occupational therapy intervention in Native American communities to address significant health concerns.     

Order in the home: Family routines moderate the impact of financial hardship

The study examined whether frequency of adolescent reported family routines moderated the relation between caregivers' perceptions of financial resources and adolescents' behavioral and academic outcomes among a sample of inner-city African American families. The sample consisted of 115 adolescents (average age = 15.95) and their female caregivers participating in a large scale study on African American family life. The results revealed a significant main effect of financial resources and family routine on adolescent outcomes, such that an increase in both was related to less delinquency and more favorable academic outcomes. Family routines moderated the relation between financial resources and adolescent outcomes. Specifically, the study revealed that the link between lack of financial resources and negative adolescent outcomes was diminished for youth in high-routine homes. Alternatively, family routines did not have a significant impact on youth from high-resource homes. Results highlight the importance of organization and predictability for economically disadvantaged youth and families.