bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The wisdom of the war room: US campaigning and Americanization
Authors: Scammell Margaret
Published: March 2007

This article explores the prospects of American influence on electioneering worldwide. Its starting point is US campaigns themselves and, through an examination of trade literature, it focuses on campaigning knowledge and the ideas which underpin US campaigning strategies. This approach suggests that `professionalization', commonly regarded as the hallmark of US-style campaigns, is problematic and has been overestimated. US campaigning knowledge remains dominated by `political folk wisdom'. US campaigning is an evolving business, with some fledgling signs of professionalism, but what it now represents is the commercial rather than professional paradigm. This helps us to understand why US influence abroad may be limited, because the less `professional' the knowledge, the less likely it is to transcend the specifics of the US situation. However, it also helps identify practices, stemming mainly from marketing, where US practice shows signs of professionalism and is more likely to be influential.
Income Inequality as a Canadian Cohort Ages
Authors: Prus Steven G.
Published: March 2007

Survey of Consumer Finances cross-sectional data from 1973 to 1996 are used in this article to examine Canadian trends in income inequality over the middle and later stages of the life course of a synthetic cohort born between 1922 and 1926. Using Gini coefficients, the findings show that income inequality decreases within a cohort as it grows old; that is, the Canadian retirement income system smoothes out (levels) the distribution of income in later life. The observed decrease in inequality corresponds with a decrease in income from earnings and an increase in dependency on state benefits. The progressive nature of public pension programs in Canada increases the relative income share and the average income of the poorest seniors. Moreover, cross-national comparisons of income inequality show that Canada exhibits a more equal distribution of income in old age compared to countries with similar old-age welfare systems, such as the United States.
Shared Ethnicity and Relationship Multiplexity within the Informal Networks of Retired European American Sunbelt Migrants
Authors: Stoller Eleanor Palo , Miller Baila , Guo Shenyang
Published: March 2007

In this article, the authors explore the impact of shared ethnicity and chain migration on the structure of relationships within the informal networks of elderly European Americans who migrated to a Florida retirement location. Data were collected through structured interviews with a probability sample of retired migrants. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to assess the impact of characteristics of elders and of network members on relationship multiplexity, a concept developed by network theorists to describe the content of relationships. The conceptualization of multiplexity in this article combines information on type and direction of activity reported by the elderly respondents with respect to each member of their network. Friendships involving shared ethnic background between the elder and network member occupied an intermediate position between kin relations and other friendships, a pattern that remained when “back home” location was controlled for.
Attitudes toward Government Policies that Assist Informal Caregivers
Authors: Silverstein Merril , Parrott Tonya M.
Published: March 2007

With the aging of the population, families are increasingly likely to confront the caregiving needs of their older parents, grandparents, and other disabled relatives. This analysis uses national survey data to examine the preferences of Americans for public programs that directly assist caregivers in their activities. Respondents were asked whether they agreed or disagreed with the following three policies: directly paying caregivers, granting tax credits to caregivers, and requiring that employers grant time off without pay to caregivers. Although only one-third of respondents agreed with the idea of paying caregivers, more than 70 percent supported tax credits, and almost 60 percent supported time off to caregivers. Multiple regression reveals that current caregivers more strongly support all three policies, even when controlling for demographic factors, resources, values toward family responsibility, and political orientation. The results suggest that public policies that marshal informal services in support of dependent relatives will find greater favor because they enable the altruistic impulses of families to be fulfilled.
Who Moved among the Elderly, 1965 to 1970
Authors: Biggar Jeanne C.
Published: March 2007

This article examines the applicability of general migration selectivity principles for elderly movers. Demographic, socioeconomic, and housing characteristics of a 5% sample of elderly (60 years and older) drawn from the 1970 1 in 100 Public Use Sample are compared across distance mover types. Elderly migrants were selected from higher educational and income ranks, but local movers were selected from the more economically dependent strata. Implications of these findings for demographic theory and public policy for elderly programs are drawn.
Nurses' Diagnostic Stereotyping of the Elderly
Authors: Ciliberto David J. , Levin Jack , Arluke Arnold
Published: March 2007

This study experimentally tested three behaviors thought to underlie the clinical decision-making process that permits the systematic labeling of the elderly as senile; namely, when compared to a younger person with identical neuropsychiatric symptoms, an older person will more likely be given a diagnosis of organic brain syndrome, will more likely be given a poor prognosis for recovery, and will more likely be given palliative rather than interventive treatment. The study also examined the impact of contact with older patients on the making of these clinical decisions. Subjects were the entire nursing staff (N = 186) of a general hospital in a northeastern American city. One-half of the sample responded to a vignette of a young person and one-half to a vignette of an old person with identical signs of emotional, behavioral, and perceptual disorder. The results support the notion that clinical decisions tend to be biased against old age and thus contribute to inappropriate labeling of the elderly. Results also suggest that when compared to subjects having little contact with old patients, those having considerable contact were more likely to believe that all patients, regardless of age, have an organic, incurable, and untreatable illness.
Self-Care among U.S. Elderly
Authors: Defriese Gordon H. , Woomert Alison
Published: March 2007

The self-care movement is discussed, with emphasis on programs for senior citizens. Self-care is defined and several conceptual classifications of self-care activities are reviewed. Among the aspects of the contemporary self-care movement reviewed are commercialism, professional dominance, potential of self-care groups as political interest groups, and program impact evaluation issues. From an inventory containing over 2000 programs and being constructed as part of a national study of self-care activities, 25 programs with a major focus on self-care training or self-help activities for the elderly were identified. From preliminary information available on these programs, a description is provided of the range within which self-care programs for the elderly vary with respect to five characteristics: (1) program sponsorship and setting, (2) target groups, (3) methods of program implementation, (4) type and size of staff, and (5) program goals and activities. Future directions for program development and research on self-care for the elderly are suggested.
Sex Differences in Stress, Coping Resources, and Illness among the Elderly
Authors: West Gale E. , Simons Ronald L.
Published: March 2007

Since studies have found only a modest relationship between life change and illness, researchers have begun to study "coping resources" that facilitate adjustment to life events. Only two studies have examined their effects on the elderly, and these suggest that coping resources for younger age groups may not serve this function for the elderly. Using a sample of 299 elderly, this study examines the relationship between life change and illness for each sex to determine if elderly men and women differ in their vulnerability to life change stress and to identify differences in what serves as a coping resource. The results suggest that elderly women are more responsive to life changes. For women, marriage and self-efficacy were exacerbators; for men, having a confidant exacerbated illness. Resources functioning as coping facilitators for young age groups potentially function as coping inhibitors when related to the largely negative/uncontrollable events of old age. In addition, the sexes may differ in the factors that serve as coping resources.
Societal Aging and Generational Dependency Relationships
Authors: Adamchak Donald J. , Friedmann Eugene A.
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this study was to assess the current controversy of support for our rapidly aging population over the next 60 years and the assumptions and measurements used in the discussions of "dependency ratios" that are central to the debate. The President's Commission on Pension Policy is critiqued, as is the possible social security change in receiving full benefits from 65 to 68 years of age. Labor force dependency ratios and society dependency ratios are projected to the year 2050 in order to demonstrate that demographic shifts do not represent any significant increase in the total proportion of groups outside of the "productive" components of the population. Implications of the findings are discussed.
Period Effects on Planned Age for Retirement, 1975-1984
Authors: Ekerdt David J. , Bosse Raymond , Glynn Robert J.
Published: March 2007

Temporal changes in the aggregate distribution of workers' planned ages for retirement can indicate broad shifts in workers' regard of retirement that anticipate future retirement practices. This study compared distributions of planned retirement ages across four measurement times between 1975 and 1984 for groups of approximately 1000 men aged 47-64 at each survey. Results showed two temporal patterns. First, plans were altered somewhat toward late ages between 1975 and 1978, although this upward redistribution of planned ages did not alter the total proportion planning to retire prior to age 65. Second, distributions were stable from 1978 to 1981 to 1984.
Discriminators of Migration Propensity among Black and White Men in the Middle and Later Years
Authors: Stinner William F. , Pitcher Brian L. , Toney Michael B.
Published: March 2007

The objective of this research is to increase our understanding of racial variations in the correlates of migration propensity among men passing through their middle and later years. An analytical model is developed around environmental disamenities, socioeconomic bonds, personal resources, and age. The results suggest the importance of determining the extent to which selected variables differentially discriminate migrants from nonmigrants dependent on race.
Social Support Factor Structure in the Elderly
Authors: Revicki Dennis A. , Mitchell Jim
Published: March 2007

This research examines the factor structure of social support measures using the responses of a sample of 210 elderly. Four measures selected to operationalize socioemotional and instrumental support were administered as part of a structured interview including demographic, health status, and life satisfaction measures. A principal axes factor analysis followed by oblique rotation generated a four factor solution. The derived factors were interpreted as (1) support intensity, (2) social contacts, (3) social resource availability, and (4) telephone contacts.
The Causes and Correlates of Crime Committed by the Elderly
Authors: Kercher Kyle
Published: March 2007

There is a need to understand the variables that influence the illegal behavior of older persons, and whether these predictors differ from those of younger age groups. This article attempts to address these issues through a review of the relevant literature. An analysis of elderly-specific theories of crime provides few suggestions where one might anticipate different predictors for older versus younger persons. And a comparison of research on youths with results from surveys of the general population indicates that the causes and correlates of crime generally do not change as individuals grow older.
Return Migration of the Elderly in the United States
Authors: Serow William J. , Charity Douglas A.
Published: March 2007

Patterns of return migration among the elderly in the United States during 1975-1980 were researched and updated. Regional trends are compared to those from previous decades. Differences in elderly migration according to age, gender, and marital status and the role of characteristics of state of birth are also considered.
Early Retirement and Functional Impairment from a Multi-Ethnic Perspective
Authors: Stanford E. Percil , Happersept Catherine J. , Morton Deborah J. , Molgaard Craig A. , Peddecord K. Michael
Published: March 2007

The overall purpose of the present study was to identify differences between the early retired and the nonretired among three ethnic groups: Whites, Blacks, and Mexican Americans. Analysis focused on a community-based sample of 1,146 residents of San Diego County aged 45 to 64 years. Three categories of variables that were hypothesized to contribute to early retirement were examined: demographic characteristics, self-reported health measures, and Older American Resource and Service (OARS)based objective summary ratings of functional impairment. Results were consistent with the literature and indicated that functional impairment was higher for the early retired within each of the ethnic groups. For both retirement status groups, Mexican Americans reported the most impairment of the three ethnic groups. Discriminant analysis was used to identify the predictive value of the three categories of variables for early retirement status and yielded the following results: age, gender, and the mental health OARS objective functional-impairment score were the only significant discriminators for all groups. Mexican Americans appeared to have the greatest variety of factors contributing to early retirement status, with fewer variables involved for Blacks and fewer still for Whites.
Estimates of the Jewish Old Old Population in the United States
Authors: Rosenwaike Ira
Published: March 2007

The well-known aging of the American Jewish population has continued during the 1980s, and at a more rapid rate than that described by recent projections. Data for Medicare enrollees, in combination with a surname technique, are used to construct estimates that reveal a substantially higher proportion of America's Jews were 75 years or older in 1990 than was true for the general population. The methodology developed for this study also permits the construction of estimates of the old old in state and local areas.
Health as a Factor in Institutionalization
Authors: Belgrave Linda Liska , Bradsher Julia E.
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this article is to examine African American and White disparities in factors associated with institutionalization and differences in the effects of health on the use of this form of long-term care. The research was conceptualized within the context of the double-jeopardy hypothesis. Data for this study were taken from the first and third wave of the Longitudinal Study on Aging (N = 7,440 persons aged 70 and older). Results showed that African Americans were in poorer health than Whites. Help received from relatives for IADL's did not vary by race. However, African Americans received less help from relatives for ADLs than did their White peers. Despite poorer health and less reliance on help from relatives, African Americans were less likely than Whites to be institutionalized. Further research is called for that examines the interconnections between race, discrimination, culture, and the later life experiences and opportunities of the elderly.
Toward Understanding Ethnic Differences in Late-Life Disability
Authors: Jette Alan M. , Crawford Sybil L. , Tennstedt Sharon L.
Published: March 2007

The authors hypothesized that ethnic differences in late-life disability would be observed and that ethnic differentials would be attributed to differences in physical capacity versus measurement error or cultural response to disabling disease. This study employed performance-based and self-report disability measures in a probability sample of 156 older African American, White, and Puerto Rican adults living in Springfield, Massachusetts. Analyses revealed that Puerto Rican and African American older adults reported significantly more disability than did Whites and that observed ethnic differences in disability were attributed to functional limitations. The current cohort of Puerto Rican and African American older adults clearly is at higher risk of needing long-term health and social services related to their increased levels of disability.
Race and Residence Variation in Living Arrangements among Unmarried Older Adults
Authors: Peek Chuck W. , Henretta John C. , Coward Raymond T. , Duncan R. Paul , Dougherty Molly C.
Published: March 2007

This study examines race and residence differences in the likelihood of unmarried older persons living alone. Using data collected from a stratified, random sample of elderly persons conducted in both rural and urban areas of north Florida (N = 1,200), the investigation demonstrates that among the unmarried (n = 704), African Americans and residents of urban areas are more likely to live with others than are Whites and rural residents, respectively. This study also finds that the effects of race and residence on living alone are additive. Other factors found to significantly influence living arrangements are age, gender, the occurrence of a hospitalization in the past year, and the number of unmarried children. Variation in two additional aspects of the living arrangements of unmarried elders-the proximity of children and the relationship between elders and other members of the household-offer insight into the race and residence differences in living alone that remain unexplained by the multivariate analysis.
Preferences for Care
Authors: Wielink Gina , Huijsman Robbert , McDonnell Joseph
Published: March 2007

This study investigates which care provider an elderly person living independently and aged 65 and older would prefer most should he or she be in need of such care. Four (hypothetical) care-need situations were distinguished, and respondents were requested to state their preference in each situation. In addition, the influence on these preferences of both individual and social characteristics of the elders and their previous experience with care was examined. A preference for informal care declines when the expected duration of care is extended and/or the person requires personal care. Previous experience with either formal or informal care increased the likelihood that that type of care would be preferred. Other predictive factors were age, gender, socioeconomic status, and the level of well-being. More research on the preferences of the older persons would enable health care professionals and government to adjust their policies to accommodate the wishes of the elders.
The Promise and Politics of Older Adult Education
Authors: Manheimer Ronald J.
Published: March 2007

Opportunities for senior adults the world over to participate in formal and informal educational programs have increased dramatically during the past 30 years. At the forefront of innovations in programs for older learners are those that invite members to share in teaching, governance, curriculum development, and future planning. This article traces how a variety of new programs have come about; reviews previous steps to expand and diversify older adult education, particularly in the Unites States and Canada; looks at levels of participation, learner objectives, institutional responses and rationales; and questions the underlying ideological commitments of government, aging organization, postsecondary educational institutions, and private sector groups to meet the needs and wants of today's retirement-age persons. A brief look in the "distant mirror" of China's universities for older people helps crystallize the current situation in the United States.
Midlife Work Pathways and Educational Entry
Authors: Elman Cheryl , O'Rand Angelam.
Published: March 2007

This study examines how work pathways intersect with the pursuit of education andvocational training at midlife. The authors link two waves of the National Survey ofFamilies and Households (NSFH) to focus on respondents ages 42 to 62 at the secondwave (1992-94; n = 3,417). First, they differentiate work pathways by examiningsequences of employment and nonemployment or unemployment spells. It is foundthat initial inequalities in educational attainment are amplified and increase over thelife course, in a nonlinear manner. Work discontinuity is significantly related to poorhealth, lack of pensions, and life trajectories marked by low socioeconomic status.Gender, race, and life-course events also influence work mobility. In turn, educationalreentry and training at midlife are associated with resources, work pathway type, andearly educational achievement. The interdependence of work pathways and midlifeeducational reentry patterns may further differentiate the trajectories between workand retirement in future older cohorts.
Beyond Burden
Authors: Reinardy James R. , Kane Rosalie A. , Huck Shirley , Call Kathleen Thiede , Shen Chiung-Tao
Published: March 2007

This analysis compares the results of an open-ended study on the effects of informal caregiving with data obtained from a separate investigation that used the same sample but employed fixed-item measures of burden. Informal caregivers ( N = 229) were interviewed with both approaches six weeks after the patients (care receivers) were discharged from the hospital. Percentages, t tests, and analyses of variance were used to compare and contrast the data. The analysis found substantial correspondence between the results from the two approaches, especially around the negative effects of caregiving. Less correspondence was found on the positive effects of caregiving, particularly with regard to subjective fixed items.
Nuclear Crisis as a Multi-stage Threat Game: Toward an Agenda for Comparative Research
Authors: Harvey Frank P. , James Patrick
Published: March 2007

This investigation focuses on whether nuclear crises can be represented as a series of events with an essentially similar structure. Analysis of superpower crisis interactions, which provides a point of departure for development of a general model, unfolds in four stages. First, literature on deterrence is used to identify problems encountered in previous efforts to obtain cumulative knowledge about the superpower and other rivalries. The second phase introduces the Multi-stage Threat Game (MTG), which achieves progress in two ways: the MTG sidesteps the obstacles encountered by studies of deterrence and is more realistic than existing, single-phase models of superpower rivalry in crises. Third, propositions about the relative consistency of payoffs in the MTG are derived and possibilities for testing are identified. The fourth and final task is to assess the MTG's potential contribution to knowledge about superpower crisis interactions.
The Genealogy of American Pluralism: From Madison to Behavioralism
Authors: Gunnell John G.
Published: March 2007

Although the concept of pluralism is often equated with democracy in the language of American political science, and in accounts of contemporary trends toward democratization in other countries, both the critique of pluralist theory that began in the 1960s and the early history of the concept suggest the need to reflect on that equation. Pluralism is a concept that often appears in the language of politics, but its systematic meaning is largely a function of its use in talking about politics in the discursive universe of political science. The genealogy of pluralism as a descriptive and normative concept in American political science reveals a great deal about both the evolution of the discipline and its understanding of its relationship to politics.
How Much Is Enough? Excessive Pluralism as the Cause of Poland's Socio-economic Crisis
Authors: Korbonski Andrzej
Published: March 2007

Poland in mid-1995 appeared to be a country in the middle of a serious socio-political crisis. Considering that six years earlier it had been generally perceived as a strong candidate for achieving the successful transfer of power from the communists to the opposition, that could serve as a model for other East Central European countries, the obvious question is what went wrong. This article attempts to answer that question by focusing on a root cause which underlay the crisis—excessive pluralization of the Polish polity and society—that has resulted in the failure to make much progress with reconstruction of a civil society. This failure, together with the inability of the ruling elites to cope with the complexities of post-communist transition and with institution-building, has meant that despite a relatively healthy economy and a secure international position, Poland has need of drastic action to put it on the right track and propel it toward the establishment of a stable and viable democracy.
On Special Interests, Public Interests, and Unequal Representation
Authors: Graziano Luigi
Published: March 2007

One theme runs through the various articles in this issue of the IPSR, either explicitly or by implication—the “common good.” A second theme is inclusion and exclusion, that is, the group system judged in terms of some standard of public equity. Based on American material, this article tries to bring the two lines of argument together in order to elucidate the contours of “private representation.” It does so by analyzing how contemporary political thought has dealt with three problems: the distinction between special and public interests; principles of group classification, which have attracted renewed attention in recent years; and the concept of public interest groups, in the behavioral redefinition of the term.
Citizenship and Nationality in Democratic Systems: Approaches to Defining and Acquiring Membership in the Political Community
Authors: Safran William
Published: March 2007

This article analyzes the approaches of five democratic countries—France, the United States, Germany, Great Britain, and Israel—to determining membership in the national community. It examines the different definitions of citizenship and the variable uses of ascriptive and functional criteria, the mix of interpretations of jus sanguinis and jus soli, and the evolution of policies of naturalization. It deals with the circumstances surrounding the building of nation and state as explanatory factors, and discusses the implications of transnational and supranational patterns of socioeconomic involvements and entitlements for traditional approaches to citizenship.
Reconceptualizing Political Accountability
Authors: Moncrieffe Joy Marie
Published: March 2007

The ambiguities surrounding the concept of democracy have resulted in a rather abstract listing of defining components and procedural norms. At the core of these procedures is the notion that effective administration requires elected officials to be accountable to the public. Periodic elections guarantee this accountability and the effectiveness of the democratic system depends on their regularity and character. The critical issues, however, are whether this basic mechanism for securing accountability can adequately compel governments and public officials to be responsive to the citizens and whether accountability thus conceived and exercised, provides a sufficiently comprehensive interpretation. This article argues that accountability matters and that for it to have some meaningful impact on social, political and economic outcomes, it cannot be limited to its traditional interpretation nor secured solely through the procedures of a conventional representative democracy.
Distributive-Justice Reasoning in Families With Adolescents
Authors: MARSHALL SHEILA , ADAMS GERALD R. , RYAN BRUCE A.
Published: March 2007

Determinants of adolescent distributive-justice reasoning skills in a face-to-face resource-allocation task with parents (mother and father) were examined with 45 families. Adolescents' distributive-justice reasoning was associated with satisfaction with family cohesion, mother-adolescent communication, and empathy, but not with father-adolescent communication, gender, or socioeconomic resources. Parental distributive-justice practices during the resource-allocation task reveal very different roles for mothers and fathers.
Adjustment of Early Parenthood
Authors: KACH JULIE A. , McGHEE PAUL E.
Published: March 2007

This study was designed to determine the relationship between the accuracy of preparenthood expectations about parenthood and the incidence of problems associated with the transition to parenthood. Parents who were expecting their first child in about six weeks completed a prebirth questionnaire pertaining to expectations about various dimensions of parenthood following the birth of their baby. The same questionnaire was administered two months after the birth of the baby, along with questions concerning the kinds of problems the parents had encountered. Two comparison control groups were also tested. Parents' preparenthood expectations did not differ significantly from their subsequent perceptions of parenthood. However, mothers with less accurate expectations about parenthood were most likely to have problems adjusting to parenthood. No comparable relationship was obtained for fathers. Less accurate expectations about parenthood among mothers were also associated with lower levels of preparation for parenting, higher age levels, and a greater number of years of prior marriage. Information is presented regarding the specific aspects of parenthood that mothers and fathers were least prepared for and that posed the greatest problems.
The Family and Television
Authors: BRYCE JENNIFER W. , LEICHTER HOPE JENSEN
Published: March 2007

The potential of family members to serve as mediators of learning from television has received increasing amounts of attention in the literature. At the same time, the involvement of parents in their children's viewing has been found to be low. Using sample episodes from an ethnographic research study, this article describes several types of family mediation that have not been emphasized in the literature: contextual mediation, informal verbal mediation that occurs outside of the viewing situation, and mediation by families' organization in time and space. The authors suggest that ethnography can contribute to our understanding of the mediation of television by the family by documenting mediational influences that are unintentional, nonverbal, or occur at times other than during viewing.
Remaking Men
Authors: COHEN THEODORE F.
Published: March 2007

Using findings from an exploratory interview study of 30 Boston area men, this article critically examines the traditional assumption that the male role centers on work. Findings indicated that becoming and being husbands and fathers had a greater effect on informants than conventional approaches suggest. Discontinuities between men's role attachments and performances are revealed, and the meaning and sociocultural sources of men's inaction are assessed.
Social Support Coverage and the Well-Being of Elderly Widows and Married Women
Authors: GREENE RITSUKO WATANABE , FELD SHEILA
Published: March 2007

The relationship between social support coverage and well-being was examined in four subgroups from a national sample of women ages 50 and older: first married ( N = 151), widows ( N = 144), widows within the last five years ( n = 60), and widows for longer than five years ( n = 84). The index of support coverage represented how many of six functions were carried out by at least one supporter. Two hypotheses were tested: (1) that support coverage is associated with well-being in all subgroups, and (2) that social support is more strongly associated with well-being in the subgroups experiencing higher stress, that is, widows more than married women and recent widows more than long-term ones. The hypotheses were not supported. Instead, the relationships between social support and well-being were positive in some groups and negative in others. The importance of considering the causal directions of links between social support and well-being and the possible negative consequences of receiving social support are discussed.
The Psychological Well-Being of Divorced and Widowed Men and Women
Authors: GOVE WALTER R. , SHIN HEE-CHOON
Published: March 2007

In this article we focus on the psychological well-being of the widowed and divorced. The data are from a national stratified probability sample in which the divorced and widowed, particularly divorced and widowed males, were oversampled. Seven different indicators of psychological well-being are used. Compared to the married and, to a lesser extent the never married, the psychological well-being of the divorced and widowed is poor. Overall the psychological well-being of divorced males, divorced females and widowed females is roughly comparable and better than the psychological well-being of widowed males.
Ambivalence in Adult Sibling Relationships
Authors: BEDFORD VICTORIA H.
Published: March 2007

The present study attempted to understand the contradictions in the literature concerning the persistence of ambivalence in adult sibling relationships. It examined a potential source of systematic variation—gender and developmental differences in awareness of underlying feelings about one's age-near, same-sex sibling. Respondents were a random sample of 60 eligible child-rearing (CR) and empty nest (EN) subjects, age 30 to 69. Underlying feelings about the targeted sibling were assessed using the Sibling Thematic Apperception Test. Conscious feelings were assessed using selfreport scales of positive feelings, negative feelings, and contact frequency. For CR women, ratings and corresponding theme frequencies of the projective stories were significantly correlated, but only for positive aspects of the relationship. For EN women, correlations were limited to negative aspects. Contact frequency was strongly associated with separation concerns for CR men and EN women. These findings partially support the differential effects of the “parent˙al imperative” and its aftermath on personality characteristics, particularly for women.
Gender Differences in Parental Strain
Authors: SCOTT JACQUELINE , ALWIN DUANE F.
Published: March 2007

This article examines gender differences in the strains associated with parenting. We hypothesize that due to the different role experiences of being a parent, mothers are more likely than fathers to experience greater role strain. Women who parent are more likely than their male counterparts to be exposed to strain-inducing experiences because they spend more time in child care and other household chores, because they are more likely to be doing so as a “single-parent,” because they are more likely to be juggling family responsibilities and work commitments, and because being a parent has greater role salience for women. We also hypothesize that by taking into account the different role experiences of mothers and fathers we can partially account for the expected gender differences in parental strain. These hypotheses are explored using survey data from a probability sample of Detroit parents obtained in 1982-83 (n = 1,040) which assessed their parental role experiences and psychological well-being. The results confirm the hypothesized difference between mothers and fathers in reported strain, among both blacks and whites, with mothers expressing significantly greater role demands and parental strain than fathers. We find, however, that little of this difference is attributable to the differential role experiences we analyzed. We conclude that gender differences in parental strain may be linked more strongly to “gender role” than “parental role,” in that women are socialized more than men into taking responsibilities for relationships and are therefore more likely to experience the greater stresses associated with intimacy and emotional involvement with others. The greater strains of parenting felt by mothers as opposed to fathers may, thus, be due as much to the differential orientations they bring to the parental role as it is due to the objectively-assessed differences in role experience.
The Gender Division of Labor in Two-Earner Marriages
Authors: FERREE MYRA MARX
Published: March 2007

Recent data on the division of domestic labor is examined, suggesting that the inevitability of a “second shift” for wives in dual-earner couples may be overstated. The allocation of paid work more to husbands and housework more to wives creates a combined work week that is, on average, balanced but gender specialized. However, there is also important variation among couples. Some employed wives do face a “double day,” but others are in more equitable arrangements. The implicitly and explicitly gendered expectations that both husbands and wives bring to thinking about housework play a significant role in shaping the degree of egalitarianism in practice.
Family, Work, and School Influences on the Decision to Enter the Military
Authors: TEACHMAN JAY D. , CALL VAUGHN R.A. , SEGAL MADY WECHSLER
Published: March 2007

This study uses a large, nationally representative data base to examine the multiple correlates of enlistment of young men in the military. It focuses on the recent experience of the all volunteer force (AVF) and pays particular attention to the effects of work, school, and family roles on enlistment in the military and how these effects vary by race. It is argued that the potential for role incompatibility and conflict between the military and work, school, and family roles reduces the likelihood that men who are employed, in school, married, or fathers will enter the military. The findings show that work and school enrollment significantly reduce the likelihood of enlisting in the military for White men but not for Black men. Marriage and parenthood do not affect the likelihood of military enlistment for either Whites or Blacks.
Children's Closeness to Father as Reported by Mothers, Sons and Daughters:
Authors: SMITH HERBERT L. , MORGAN S. PHILIP
Published: March 2007

Mothers' and children's reports of closeness to father are examined using an approach for reconciling discrepant survey responses. This approach is based on a model for the measurement of latent traits. When both mothers and children are asked to report on the closeness of the child to his or her father, tabulations of survey responses show substantial disagreement in the reported evaluation. We adopt a model that explains this disagreement in terms of (a) constant differences between mothers and children, and (b) variability within the sampling population in the actual closeness of father to child. Closeness appears to have an entirely different meaning when fathers are resident than when they are nonresident. But the meaning does not seem to vary (even if feelings do) when the resident father is a stepfather or whether the focal child is a son or a daughter.
Marital Role Attitudes and Expected Role Behaviors of College Youth in Mainland China and Taiwan
Authors: HSIEH KUANG-HUA , BURGESS ROBERT L.
Published: March 2007

This study examines differences in marital role attitudes and expected behavior among college students in mainland China and Taiwan. It is hypothesized that people in mainland China have become more egalitarian than have people in Taiwan with respect to the division of marital roles. Survey responses from 339 Taiwan students and 288 mainland China students are compared on four dimensions of marital role attitudes and six areas of traditional husband and wife role behaviors. These dimensions were determined through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. The data indicate that although most of the hypothesized societal differences are supported, some are not. Possible regressive changes in mainland China and progressive changes in Taiwan during the past decade were speculated to be responsible for the discrepancy between hypotheses and results.
Families as Natural Experiments
Authors: TEACHMAN JAY D.
Published: March 2007

In this article, the author argues that data on siblings provide a way to account for the impact of unmeasured, omitted variables on relashionships of interest. This is possible because families form a sort of natural experiment. Family members are likely to have many shared experiences, as well as a common genetic heritage, but relationships between variables defined as differences between family members cannot be attributed to these shared family characteristics. Although fixed- and random-effects models are discussed as one means to make use of information on siblings from the same family, the author proposes a latent-variable structural equation approach to the problem. This model provides estimates of both within-and between-family relationships, and it accounts for the impact of measurement error.
Aging Parent-Adult Child Coresidence
Authors: LEE GARY R. , DWYER JEFFREY W.
Published: March 2007

Several recent studies have concluded that coresidence between aging parents and their adult children is caused by the children's dependency needs, whereas parental characteristics are irrelevant. We argue that these studies are based on samples that contain insufficient proportions of elderly parents who possess the characteristics that eventuate in coresidence. Such elders, however, represent a large and important segment of the elderly population. Data from the National Long-Term Care Survey, a sample of Medicare beneficiaries, indicate that the probability of coresiding with children is elevated by parents' advanced age, failing health, and absence of a spouse. At the same time, children's characteristics (marital status and employment status) are also important predictors of coresidence.
Explaining Psychological Distress in a Sample of Remarried and Divorced Persons
Authors: SHAPIRO ADAM D.
Published: March 2007

This article analyzes a 1986 national survey ( N = 2,081) to examine (a) whether there are differences in psychological distress and economic distress between remarried and divorced persons and (b) if differences in economic distress explain differences in psychological distress between remarried and divorced persons. Findings show that, compared to the currently divorced, the remarried have significantly lower rates of economic distress and psychological distress. Economic distress, particularly a subjective assessment, explains a large proportion of the marital status differences in psychological distress. The most profound influence of economic distress on psychological distress is found for divorced women.
Singlehood, Marriage, and Remarriage
Authors: DEMO DAVID H. , ACOCK ALAN C.
Published: March 2007

This article examines three dimensions of mothers' well-being (personal happiness, self-esteem, and depression) across four diverse family structures (first-married, remarried, divorced, and continuously single-parent families). Using a nationally representative sample of 2,781 mothers, the results indicate small but statistically significant differences across family structures. Mothers in their first marriage enjoy the highest well-being, mothers in stepfamilies fare nearly as well, and divorced and continuously single mothers have the lowest well-being. Most of the differences persist when relevant variables are controlled. Multiple regression analyses indicate that the strongest predictors of mothers' well-being are measures of family relations, especially children's well-being, marital happiness, marital stability, and low levels of marital conflict. Implications of the findings are discussed in terms of the relative importance for mothers' well-being of family structure, sociodemographic variables, and family processes.
Will the Children Ever Leave?
Authors: WARD RUSSELL , SPITZE GLENNA
Published: March 2007

Despite recent attention to parent-child coresidence, little is known about differences between continuing and return coresidence or how these may vary with age. A sample of 716 adult children residing in parent households (from the National Survey of Families and Households) is used to investigate the antecedents of continuing and return coresidence and the plans and expectations of coresident children; and although young adult children predominate in coresidence, variations across age groups are investigated. Coresidence history is related to such child characteristics as marital status and education, with varying patterns across age groups, but continuing and return coresidents are more similar than different. Plans and expectations are largely a function of child characteristics. Although return coresidence appears to be more problematic and continuing coresidence shows increasing stability with age, continuing and return coresident children respond to similar factors.
Managing Murder
Authors: FOX GREER LITTON , VON BARGEN JANELLE , JESTER MICHELLE
Published: March 2007

This investigation is a case study of the responses of children and their parents to a murder in their neighborhood. Through participant observation and intensive interviews with parents, the authors describe how parents took action both collectively and individually to manage their children's fears and to find meaning in an act of unusual brutality and deceit. The authors anticipated correctly that this study could provide an opportunity to examine the potential impact of distal violence on middle-class children. An unanticipated outcome was the substantial effect of the homicide on the neighborhood parents themselves as reflected in their sense-making activities that continued long after the resolution of the murder itself.
The Effects of Cocaine and Marijuana Use on Marriage and Marital Stability
Authors: KAESTNER ROBERT
Published: March 2007

This article examines the relationship between illicit drug use and marital status. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Labor Market Experiences, the article presents both cross-sectional and longitudinal estimates of the effect of marijuana and cocaine use on marital status, the length of time until first marriage, and the duration of first marriage. The results indicate that among non-Black young adults, drug users are more likely to be unmarried due to a delay in the age at first marriage, and shorter marriage durations. In contrast, drug use has no effect on marital choices of Black young adults.
A Typology of Approaches to Child Care
Authors: HERTZ ROSANNA
Published: March 2007

Analyzing data from a qualitative study of 95 dual-earner couples, this article seeks to understand the critical factors that explain couples' choice of day care arrangements. The different approaches couples implement to care for their children while they earn income are (a) the “mothering” approach, (b) the parenting approach, and (c) the market approach. Changing sentiments about mothering and its centrality to decisions about how couples organize and integrate family and work lives are discussed within each approach. Finally, the article raises issues about attempts (and nonattempts) to alter work arrangements for parents to care for children.