• 125-01 EE - The Spirit of Mothering: Reflecting on the Past to Inform and Change the Future
  Presented by: Vicki Thrasher Cronin
• 125-02 IN - Cell Phones, Internet, and Maternal Contact in 24 Countries
  Presented by: Zoya Gubernskaya, Judith Treas
• 125-03 RT - Pathways to Relationship Initiation: An Exploratory Study
  Presented by: Heather Hyman, Brian Ogolsky
• 125-04 FH - How Child Care Provider Beliefs About Children’s Physical Activity Influence Practice Presented by: Jane Lanigan
• 125-05 EE - Redefining Healthy Infant Sleep
  Presented by: Wendy Middlemiss, Robin Yaure, Erron Huey, Laura Nathans Nathans
• 125-06 FS - Ensuring Healthy Job Prospects for Family Science Undergraduates
  Presented by: Suzanne Smith, Raeann Hamon

Abstracts

The Spirit of Mothering: Reflecting on the Past to Inform and Change the Future

Presented by: Vicki Thrasher Cronin

The Spirit of Mothering (SOM) is a Duluth, MN, Public Schools parent education program, designed to support mothers during their adjustment from homelessness to transitional housing.  The guiding principle of SOM is the belief that all mothers love their children and are passionate about their children's success.  This workshop will explore parent education intervention strategies grounded in adult alearning, adult and child attachment, and child development theories.  The curriculum is highly flexible and responsive to the present needs and desires of the participants. Program goals will be described and an analysis of data will be presented.

Cell Phones, Internet, and Maternal Contact in 24 Countries

Presented by: Zoya Gubernskaya, Judith Treas

What explains cross-national variation in maternal contact?  ISSP data for 2001 show adult children have more frequent contact if they are female, younger, better educated, religious, have fewer siblings, reside in close proximity to mother, and hold more positive attitudes toward parental support. Among country-level variables, familism predicts frequency of visits but not other contacts; GDP per capita and mobile phone subscriptions are stronger predictors of other contacts.  The results suggest the spread of communication technology is more important than value changes for documented increases in maternal contacts that do not require physical presence.  

Pathways to Relationship Initiation: An Exploratory Study

Presented by: Heather Hyman, Brian Ogolsky

Recent research on relationships research has focused greatly on the new forms of romantic and sexual relationships occurring primarily amongst young adults and late adolescents. As new relationship types such as (hookups and friends with benefits) have emerged, the dating scripts have change as well. Noting the prevalence of these new relationships, which often blur the traditional lines of dating and courtship, it is necessary to examine how romantic relationships are initiated in college settings. Our study examines these changes to the process of relationship initiation among college students.

How Child Care Provider Beliefs About Children’s Physical Activity Influence Practice

Presented by: Jane Lanigan

The Encouraging Healthy Activity and Nutrition in Childcare Environments study examined pre/post data from 72 childcare providers to determine the relationship between childcare providers' beliefs regarding children's physical activity and their practices. Correlation and logistic regression analyses regression indicated that changes in role salience and knowledge were significantly associated with improved physical activity practices. Results suggest that modifying child care providers' beliefs regarding their role in children's physical activity is a critical component for the successful implementation of obesity prevention initiatives designed to increase child activity levels.  

Redefining Healthy Infant Sleep

Presented by: Wendy Middlemiss, Robin Yaure, Erron Huey, Laura Nathans Nathans

This proposal asks: "What if infant nightwakings are not the most important health-related issue in nighttime care?" Implications for practice, research design, and policy, are explored. Due to the nature of the presentation, and focus on questioning the implications of defining healthy infant sleep based on nighttime wakings, opportunities for discussion will provided. Topics: Seeking Help: Perceived Problems and Reported Behaviors; Finding What We Ask For: Research Designs and Defining Healthy Infant Sleep; Moving Beyond Scare Tactics to Educate Parents about Healthy Infant Sleep  

Ensuring Healthy Job Prospects for Family Science Undergraduates

Presented by: Suzanne Smith, Raeann Hamon

The field of family science is suffering from a lack of a national identity which has the potential to impact graduating students. Because of that, it is imperative that graduates of family science programs are able to coherently articulate the specific knowledge and skills they have to offer an employer. Attendees will learn more about the marketable skills afforded to them through a family science degree according to a national study of family science programs.  Presenters will review jobs for which family science graduates apply and identify resources which are helpful in best disseminating career information to students.