Family and Moral Development

Author(s):  
Laura M. Padilla-Walker ◽  
Madison K. Memmott-Elison

This chapter draws on a myriad of theoretical backgrounds and past research as a comprehensive foundation for discussion that focuses on how family members (e.g., parents, siblings, extended family) are important in the socialization of diverse aspects of moral development (e.g., emotions, cognitions, behaviors) and how these moral outcomes in turn influence family relationships. The majority of research focuses on how parents, especially mothers, influence the development of morality, whereas a paucity of research exists that analyzes the influence of siblings and extended family on moral development. Some areas of moral development are better developed (e.g., moral emotions and behaviors) and others remain relatively less explored (e.g., moral identity). At the conclusion of the chapter, avenues for future research are discussed.

Author(s):  
Sam A. Hardy ◽  
David C. Dollahite ◽  
Chayce R. Baldwin

The purpose of this chapter is to review research on the role of religion in moral development within the family. We first present a model of the processes involved. Parent or family religiosity is the most distal predictor and affects moral development through its influence on parenting as well as child or adolescent religiosity. Additionally, parenting affects moral development directly, but also through its influence on child or adolescent religiosity. In other words, parent or family religiosity dynamically interconnects with parenting styles and practices, and with family relationships, and these in turn influence moral development directly as well as through child or adolescent religiosity. We also discuss how these processes might vary across faith traditions and cultures, and point to directions for future research.


2005 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-137
Author(s):  
Sepali Guruge ◽  
Katherine McGilton ◽  
Linda Yetman ◽  
Heather Campbell ◽  
Ruby Librado ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTMost literature on staff-family relationships has come from studies of long-term care settings, has focused mainly on the families' perspectives on factors affecting their relationships with staff, and has included scant findings from the staff's perspective. No studies that examined staff-family relationships in complex continuing care (CCC) environments from the perspective of staff were found in the literature. A qualitative study that draws on a grounded theory approach was conducted to explore staff-family relationships in CCC, and the findings presented in this article illuminate the unit manager's role. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with nine unit managers and a follow-up focus group with five unit managers who work in three CCC facilities. Three categories reflecting the unit manager's role with family members of clients in CCC settings were derived: establishing supportive entry; building and preserving relationships; and closing the loop. Implications of the findings for practice and future research are presented.


Author(s):  
Marilyn E. Wende ◽  
Andrew T. Kaczynski ◽  
John A. Bernhart ◽  
Caroline G. Dunn ◽  
Sara Wilcox

Interventions in faith-based settings are increasingly popular, due to their effectiveness for improving attendee health outcomes and behaviors. Little past research has examined the important role of the church environment in individual-level outcomes using objective environmental audits. This study examined associations between the objectively measured physical church environment and attendees’ perceptions of physical activity (PA) and healthy eating (HE) supports within the church environment, self-efficacy for PA and HE, and self-reported PA and HE behaviors. Data were collected via church audits and church attendee surveys in 54 churches in a rural, medically underserved county in South Carolina. Multi-level regression was used to analyze associations between the church environment and outcomes. Physical elements of churches were positively related to attendees’ perceptions of church environment supports for PA (B = 0.03, 95% CI = 0.01, 0.05) and HE (B = 0.05, 95% CI = 0.01, 0.09) and there was a significant interaction between perceptions of HE supports and HE church environment. Self-efficacy and behaviors for PA and HE did not show an association with the church environment. Future research should establish a temporal relationship between the church environment and these important constructs for improving health. Future faith-based interventions should apply infrastructure changes to the church environment to influence important mediating constructs to health behavior.


2020 ◽  
Vol 125 (3) ◽  
pp. 170-185
Author(s):  
Sanne A. H. Giesbers ◽  
Alexander H. C. Hendriks ◽  
Richard P. Hastings ◽  
Andrew Jahoda ◽  
Tess Tournier ◽  
...  

Abstract Even though family plays a significant role in the lives of people with intellectual disability, little research has included their own views about their families. This study examined how 138 people with mild intellectual disability describe their family group, with a focus on the reciprocal nature of the emotional support in relationships with family members. Participants reported “significant” family members beyond the nuclear family, and parents were seen as the main provider of support. Only half of participants had a support relationship with siblings and just 13% of participants reported partners. About 30% of support was reciprocal, and reciprocity varied greatly with the types of family connection (e.g., siblings, peers). Implications for future research as well as practice are discussed.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Alexie H. Hays

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] The recent growth in autism spectrum disorder diagnoses across the United States has alerted scholars to assess the support needs of families with a child on the autism spectrum. One potential large support resource that has been deemed both supportive and unsupportive is the extended family. Much remained to be explored regarding the degree to which communication, particularly in the face of a child's developmental disability, sustains or impedes (extended) family relationships. Therefore, from the perspective of the parent with a child with autism, the current investigation explored the communicative role, including the standards being met and the level of support, of three extended family members in relation to autism. This study drew upon Family Systems Theory with special emphasis on the extended family, literature related to support and relational standards, the Communication-Based Model of Coping (Maguire 2012; 2015), and utilized mixed methods, including content analysis and structural equation modeling. Survey results revealed that parents (n = 191) of a child with autism hold their extended family to certain standards, namely, they ideally want emotional/instrumental support, openness, acceptance, empathy, and positivity. Further, the types of support that parents find the most helpful include tangible, informational, esteem, emotional, appraisal, network, avoidant, child esteem, and social presence, unlike inconsiderate and unaccommodating support. Importantly, parents in this study reported that they do not have any of their standards met in full by their three chosen extended family members. Having all standards go unmet impacts their relational satisfaction, specifically with their first most significant extended family member. Further, having some standards go unmet by their second and third most significant extended family members negatively impacts parents' problem-solving abilities and stress level, but positively impacts their reappraisal ability. Together, these findings offer three contributions: (a) a better understanding of the degree to which parents with a child with autism perceive that their extended family members are meeting their standards, (b) a clear examination of how perceived and actual standards interplay with their relational dynamics, coping ability, and stress level, (c) and a thorough understanding of the ways in which communication from extended family ranges in supportiveness to a parent raising a child with autism.


2016 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 307-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Dorrance Hall

This study aims to understand how people living at the edge of their familial group as marginalized members (i.e., “black sheep”) enact resilience. Inductive analysis of interviews with 30 marginalized family members uncovered five resilience strategies marginalized family members engage in to come to terms with their position in the family, repair family relationships, and/or create a new sense of normalcy: (a) seeking support from communication networks, (b) creating and negotiating boundaries, (c) (re)building while recognizing negative experiences, (d) downplaying the lived experience of marginalization, and (e) living authentically despite disapproval. This research extends the resilience framework by exploring situated resilience strategies engaged in by marginalized family members. Practical implications for marginalized family members, their families, and family counselors are discussed along with avenues for future research examining the marginalization of diverse employees.


Author(s):  
Jennifer M. Grossman ◽  
Anmol Nagar ◽  
Linda Charmaraman ◽  
Amanda M. Richer

Extended family can be a resource for conversations about sex, but extended family perspectives have been largely left out of existing research. The present study investigates how extended family, such as aunts and uncles, siblings and cousins, perceive communication with teens in their families about sex. A thematic analysis was conducted with data from interviews in the U.S. with 39 extended family members, primarily siblings, who reported talk with teens in their families about sex. The analyses identified one theme focused on perspectives surrounding what is most important for teens to know about sex and relationships and seven themes focused on the content of conversations with teens about sex. The most prevalent content areas were: Healthy and Unhealthy Relationships (87%), Sexual Orientation (82%), Sexual Behavior (82%), and Protection (74%). The findings highlight extended family members’ unique roles in supporting the sexual health of teens in their families, which include providing information and support about issues other family members may not address, such as sexual orientation and the positive aspects of sex. The findings suggest the need to include extended family in sex education interventions to reflect the broader ecology of teens’ family relationships and access an underutilized resource for teens’ sexual health.


2021 ◽  
pp. 257-273
Author(s):  
Sarah E. Killoren

Emerging adults’ relationships with parents and other family members are important for their sexuality development. Primarily, research on the roles of family members focuses on parents. Communication with parents, support from parents, and parents’ behaviors have both direct and indirect implications for emerging adults’ sexual values and behaviors. Furthermore, studies show that there are similarities and differences in how parents are influential on emerging adults’ sexuality based on gender, sexual minority status, race and ethnicity, and religious beliefs and practices. Although limited, there is evidence that family members other than parents, such as siblings and extended family, are important for emerging adults’ sexuality, particularly for certain cultural groups. The findings reviewed in this chapter have implications for practitioners working with families. Directions for future research are recommended.


2007 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet Patford

Clinical commentaries and research studies have described the effects of problem gambling on families, but they have usually focused on immediate rather than extended family members. To offset this bias, the present study aimed to develop a deeper understanding of the various ways in which parents and parents-in-law experience and understand adult children's gambling problems. Thirteen parents and two parents-in-law volunteered to participate in the study. Their experiences and perspectives were explored through in-depth interviews, emails and telephone discussions. Findings from the study indicate that the repercussions of an adult child's gambling may damage parents and parents-in-law financially, complicate their family relationships and erode their health and wellbeing. Implications for formal service provision are discussed.


2021 ◽  
pp. 003022282110471
Author(s):  
Min Ah Kim ◽  
Jina Sang ◽  
Jaehee Yi ◽  
Jimin Sung ◽  
Whitney Howey

The loss of a child greatly affects the dynamics of interpersonal relationships in bereaved families. This study explored the relationships in bereaved Korean families from the perspectives of mothers after the death of a child due to cancer. We conducted in-depth interviews with 15 bereaved mothers of a deceased child with childhood cancer. Thematic analysis identified 12 subthemes related to bereaved mothers’ struggles in grief within three significant themes based on family relationships: (a) relationship with husband; (b) relationship with surviving child or children; and (c) relationships with extended family members. Findings highlight bereaved mothers’ need to build supportive family relationships while acknowledging bereaved family members’ different grieving styles and their own challenges in grieving the loss of a child.


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