From “Fragile Family” to Fragilities in Families: Colombian Forced Displaced Families

This research was about families considered at risk or "fragile families". The study sought to construct and deconstruct this last concept taking into account the characteristics of families who have been in a situation of internal forced displacement in Medellin, Colombia. The categories that emerged in the process of analysis were: families as cultural subjects; the collective imaginary of the family and the family roles assigned by the macro context. From these categories, a grounded theory approach was followed, from which we moved from thinking "the fragile family" as a predetermined category, to think conceptually as "the fragilities in families".

Objectives

Understand how the forced displacement, affects the construction and / or deconstruction of the family concept today, and its relational dynamics in the city of Medellín, Colombia. Identify changes in families after being forced displaced From their origin regions Reflect about the conceptualization of "Fragilized Family" from the context and the psychological, political and legal implications

The path from Aggression to Academic Achievement among Adolescents in Korea

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of adolescents' aggression on academic achievement mediated by affectionate parenting and adolescents' self-esteem. We used the national data KCYPSⅥ. The study sample included 2,691 9th grade students in South Korea. The main result was that the relationship between adolescents' aggression with academic achievement was significant through affectionate parenting and adolescents' self-esteem. The results of this study demonstrate the current status of adolescents in Korea, and provide empirical evidence for the importance of parents-adolescents relationship and self-esteem in the link between adolescents' aggression and academic achievement.

Objectives

(1) To demonstrate the current status of adolescents in Korea (2) To provide empirical evidence for the importance of parents-adolescents relationship and self-esteem in the link between adolescent aggression and academic achievement (3) To contribute for developing specific parent education programs

Family Mediation with African Couples: Exploring a Culturally Sensitive Approach

African immigrant couples in the US deal with marital conflicts as natural part of life in their host western culture. Professional mediators in the US tend to work from theoretical approaches that overlook disputants’ cultural values and their implications for mediation process and outcome. This study used a purposeful sample of eight heterosexual African couples and engaged with African scholarship in conversation with western family mediation literature. As a result, the study highlights African distinct reconciliatory approach to mediation outcome and suggests narrative mediation as an intellectual and practical framework for a culturally sensitive mediation approach to helping African couples.

Objectives

- To explore African immigrant couples' attitudes toward third party mediation - To highlight distinctive features of an African family mediation model - To suggest a culturally sensitive and holistic family mediation approach in working with African couples in the United States

The Family Stress Model: A Comparison between Rural and Urban Korean Families

This study aimed to investigate the impact of economic distress on psychological distress and marital relations in Korean rural families, drawing on the family stress model (FSM). Using the Korean Welfare Panel Study dataset, it was conducted to investigate the differences between Korean rural and urban families on key factors, examine the stress process among Korean rural families, and test whether the stress processes vary across Korean rural and urban families. The findings regarding the stress process in Korean rural families partially provided support for the FSM, while the findings from urban families precisely corresponded to the theoretical model.

Objectives

This study formulated three objectives to identify the research gaps in the existing literature: (1) to investigate the differences between Korean rural and urban families on family economic stressors, psychological distress, and marital relations; (2) to examine the stress process linking family economic stressors to marital relations among Korean rural families, drawing on the FSM; and (3) to investigate whether the stress processes vary across Korean rural and urban families.

Child bilingualism and academic attainment: moderation by parental behavior

Immigrant families comprise 13% of the United States' population. Parenting behaviors are related to both bilingualism in immigrant children and academic attainment. However, less is known about which specific parenting behaviors moderate this relationship within various immigrant groups. Thus, grounded in Transitional Perspective (Mouw & Xie, 1999), the purpose of the study is to examine this relationship. Results show a significant influence of parental involvement and parent bilingualism on academic attainment. Results also demonstrate a moderating effect of parental involvement between child bilingualism and academic attainment. Implications are for increased parental involvement in bilingual children's academic development.  

Objectives

(1) To examine the association between child bilingualism and academic attainment. (2) To analyze the influence of immigrant parenting behaviors as a moderator in the relationship between child bilingualism and academic attainment. (3) To highlight the importance of future intervention development, focusing on how immigrant parents and bilingual children bridge the communication gap which influences child academic attainment.

Mapping Global Distribution of Wellbeing

The purpose of the study is to examine the well-being of individuals in terms of food security, safety, health care access, and finances across the globe using WVS data.  Results show that individual wellbeing is not equally distributed globally. Hunger is not eliminated in participating countries, including the developed countries. Families of Africa, South America and south Asia continue to experience low quality of life disproportionally. Globally, more women and divorced families reported poor wellbeing. The results suggest that aid and development services can be targeted to specific countries and therefore allocation of resources can be beneficial.

Objectives

1. To examine the well-being of individuals in terms of food security, safety, health care access, and finances across the globe 2. To examine gender differences in access to food security, safety, basic health care, and economic well-being 3. To examine family structure differences in access to food security, safety, basic health care, and economic well-being