Relationship of Acculturation and Family Functioning to Smoking Attitudes and Behaviors Among Asian-American Adolescents

The primary objective of this study was to examine the combination of acculturation, family functioning, and parental smoking as predictors of smoking attitudes and behaviors among Asian-American adolescents. The participants were 106 Asian-American high school students whose ages ranged from 15 to 19 (51 male and 55 female, mean age = 16.30 years). Of the sample, 49% reported having tried smoking, and 27% identified themselves as regular smokers. The results indicated that smoking attitudes were significantly associated with smoking behaviors. Compared to nonsmokers, adolescent regular smokers had more positive smoking attitudes, lower acculturation, poorer family functioning and were more likely to have a father who smoked.     

Toward Mapping Daily Challenges of Living with ADHD: Maternal and Child Perspectives Using Electronic Diaries

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has an impact on the family as well as the affected child. This study developed and tested an electronic diary for mapping the challenges of everyday family life in a sample of children with ADHD being treated with pharmacotherapy. Across 7 days, mothers and children (27 ADHD; 25 non-ADHD) independently reported their moods, behaviors, and social contexts every 30 min during nonschool hours. Symptomatic behaviors and negative moods were elevated in the ADHD group, combined with maternal perceptions of lower parenting effectiveness and quality of life. Differences in the contexts of maternal anger were salient, with mothers in the ADHD group more often angry when with their children and comparison mothers more often angry when not. Although mothers' diaries were more informative, children's diaries also distinguished the two groups, especially during mornings and weekends. The need for family-wide interventions, the utility of child self-reports, and the promise of electronic diaries are discussed.     

Better the Devil You Know? High-Risk Individuals’ Anticipated Psychological Responses to Genetic Testing for Melanoma Susceptibility

Purpose: The psychological consequences of genetic testing for mutations among individuals at increased risk of developing melanoma remain unexamined. The present study aimed to explore anticipated emotional, behavioral, cognitive, and familial responses to hypothetical genetic testing for melanoma susceptibility. Methods: Forty semi-structured interviews were undertaken with affected (n=20) and unaffected (n=20) individuals at either high or average risk of developing melanoma due to family history. Results: In-depth thematic analysis revealed that, in response to being identified as a mutation carrier, most participants with a family history anticipated calmly accepting their increased risk; either increasing precaution adoption or maintaining already vigilant behavioral practices; perceiving such information as important and valuable; and communicating genetic test results to family members, despite the acknowledgement of potential difficulties. In response to being identified as a non-carrier, the majority of participants expected to feel relieved; to maintain current precautionary health practices; to still perceive themselves at some risk of developing melanoma; and to be wary of the potential negative behavioral consequences of disclosing such information to family members. Women appeared more likely than men to acknowledge the potential for depression and worry following genetic testing. In contrast, more males than females expected to carry a gene mutation, and viewed their current preventive practices as optimum. Conclusion: Genetic testing for melanoma risk is likely to elicit a complex array of emotional, behavioral, cognitive, and familial responses for both testees and their family members, and these responses are likely to bear subtle differences for males and females.     

Shifting from Treatment Plans to Action Plans: Solidifying the Therapeutic Alliance

This article summarizes the evolution of my theoretical orientation and treatment intervention style over the past thirty-something years. It discusses the pathways taken, influences felt, and experiences that have contributed to my expanding mindset and current therapeutic modus operandi, progressing from past to present. As to what will be in the future, that is difficult to predict as the metamorphosis keeps happening, although some components remain essential ingredients and provide grounding and balance. Que será, será sums up the future succinctly.     

Transformational Change—Based on the Model of Virginia Satir

Transformational change using the basic constructs of the Satir Process Model provides a road map for assisting individuals, couples, and families through a transformational shift in their basic belief or understanding of themselves. The process of change is a way to assist people in making choices that increase self-esteem, provide self-accountability, and move a person toward a more congruent sense of self. The transformation that is experienced is an internal process where the universal yearnings to be loved, acknowledged, and accepted can be met by the individual self.     

Existential Family Trauma Therapy

In this article the process of existential family trauma therapy is outlined and described. This process includes the treatment elements of holding, telling, mastering and honoring the family's trauma experiences and trauma pain. Case illustrations are provided and previous research is reviewed.     

The Diabetes Family Behavior Checklist: A Psychometric Evaluation

The Diabetes Family Behavior Checklist (DFBC) assesses supportive and non-supportive parental behavior specific to diabetes management via parent and child reports. The DFBC was administered to 133 children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and their caregivers. Subsequent analysis verified the two-factor structure of the DFBC corresponding to positive and negative support behaviors. Internal consistency was high for DFBC scores. Moderate to strong correlations with other measures of diabetes-specific familial behaviors, adherence, and metabolic control support the validity of the DFBC. Clinical application of the DFBC is discussed.     

Associations Among Family Structure,Demographics, and Adolescent Perceived Life Satisfaction

Relationships between perceived life satisfaction and family structure were examined among 5,021 public high school adolescents using the self-report CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). Adjusted multiple logistic regression analyses and multivariate models (via SUDAAN) constructed separately, revealed significant race by gender effects. Living with other relatives, non-relatives, or guardians was significantly related (p < .01) to reported life dissatisfaction for all race and gender groups, except black males. However, white females and males living with both parents were significantly less likely (p < .001) to report dissatisfaction with life. Black females living with their mothers only were also significantly less likely (p < .001) to report dissatisfaction with life while black males living with their fathers only and white females living with their mother and another adult/adults were significantly more likely (p < .01) to report dissatisfaction with life. Differing family structures appear to exert disparate effects for life satisfaction on adolescents as a function of race and/or gender. Thus, a particular health promotion intervention may not benefit all adolescents. Intervention efforts must be tailored to adolescents’ specific race and gender characteristics.