Type Of Family Structure Research Articles

African-American Socialization Experiences by Family Structure

In our society, a two-parent family is considered the norm. Therefore, it is expected to have certain advantages over a one-parent family, especially one headed by a female, the most common of the one-parent type. The expected advantages include the areas of child rearing, economic stability, provision of both male and female role models, and lower rates of juvenile delinquency. Since there is a greater proportion of Black than of white families headed by females, the negative characteristics of one-parent families have most often been assigned Black families. Despite this, Black families have managed to survive and have demonstrated many positive outcomes (Stack, 1974; Hill, 1972; Billingsley, 1968). Therefore, it appears rather obvious that socialization outcomes are contingent on more than family structure. The type of family structure alone cannot determine the nature of the outcome of socialization. Every family, regardless of its structure, must develop its own pattern of interaction. Therefore, it seems plausible that some combination of family structure and in-

THE IMPACT OF FAMILY STRUCTURE AND QUALITY ON DELINQUENCY: A COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL FACTORS*

Despite the plethora of studies of broken homes, multivariate studies comparing the effects of the broken home and other theoretically relevant measures of the quality of family life are rare. This study examines the family structure versus family function issue by testing the comparative effects on self‐reported delinquency of family structure and jive measures of family function. Five types of delinquency are considered. The data were obtained from a 1980 survey of 152 high school students in a small midwestern town. Item analysis and data reduction techniques were employed to construct six family quality indices and jive delinquency indices. Two types of family structure were examined: presence of both biological parents in the home v. other and single‐ v. two‐parent homes. Multivariate analyses controlled for the effects of age and gender.Bivariate tests of the relationships between broken homes and delinquency were not significant, except for a moderate relationship between broken homes and status offenses. In addition, a bivariate relation between single‐parent homes and delinquency was observed for status offenses only. Other forms of family dysfunction all were significantly related to overall delinquency and to status offenses. Moreover, several measures of family quality evidenced significant bivariate relationships to property offenses. violent offenses, and drug offenses. The importance of the broken home was further diminished when the direct effects of broken homes and home quality were examined in multivariate tests. Regression equations showed home quality and gender, rather than family structure, to be the more important determinants of delinquency. The family structure coefficient was significant in only 1 of 10 tests, a regression of broken home and home quality on status offenses. Efforts to expand the analysis to identify specific areas of family dysfunction were unenlightening.

Family structure and housing consumption: A study of Chinese families in Taiwan

This study focuses on variations in types of family structure and patterns of housing consumption in a rapidly developing society. Extended families in Taiwan, in comparison with single-person households and nuclear families, tend to increase aggregate household income, foster homeownership, and consume more housing space.

Day-care treatment for multiple drug abusing adolescents: social factors linked with completing treatment.

By identifying some of the social correlates linked with completing day-care drug abuse treatment, the present study has sought to broaden understanding of how drug rehabilitations are effected. As the findings have demonstrated, completing care is a result of a complex array of causes and their interaction. The disposition of the entering patient (i.e., their determination and other strengths) has a great bearing on treatment outcome. It is also a result of the patient's family, their motivations, resources and perseverance in enduring a long course of demanding therapeutic interventions. In addition, it is the product of meanings shared and transmitted between the patient's family and the treatment staff. Patients and their families project positive attitudes about the value of the therapeutic enterprise as well as a compliant demeanor. As staff recognize that patients and parents are acting cooperatively, then such perceptions tend to create self-fulfilling prophecies. The data has established that older adolescent patients are more likely to possess the motivational resources needed for program completion than younger patients. Apparently, self-referred patients are also more inclined to meet the demands of program requirements than those referred by the courts or other outside social agencies, although the differences fell short of the .05 level of statistical significance. Those completing the program are less likely to be diagnosed as depressed at intake. Parental characteristics comprise another group of variables that are related to treatment completion. Parents of higher occupational rank, who have had mental health care for themselves, and who are of Jewish ethnicity appear to possess useful strengths for meeting program challenges. The pattern of spouse mutuality in dealing with a child's needs as it exists preceding and during treatment seems to be another useful asset for successfully getting through this form of treatment. While parents with the above characteristics possess resources that help them to endure the rigors inherent in this form of care, these attributes help project positive images to professional staff about family and patient commitment to treatment. The results of the present study also suggest that certain familial structural arrangements either facilitate or impede program completion. Three particular types of family structures were linked with remaining in treatment longer or finishing: (1) children who were the only children in their families who were living at home; (2) children with siblings who had been in treatment at the program; and (3) children without older brothers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

THREE TYPES OF FAMILY STRUCTURE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DIFFERENTIATION: A STUDY AMONG THE JAUNSAR‐BAWAR SOCIETY*

The study examines the influence of family structure and family experiences on psychological differentiation in children. Three types of families, viz., monogamous, polyandrous and polygynandrous were selected from the polyandrous society of Jaunsar‐Bawar in the Cis‐Himalayan region of India. 175 boys and girls of age groups 7‐9 and 13‐15 years, belonging to the three types of families, were administered the Story‐Pictorial EFT, Indo‐African EFT and BD tests. Family experiences of the child were assessed through ratings and interview. A 2×3×2 ANOVA performed on differentiation scores revealed significant age and sex effects. Family effect was not statistically significant. But the data suggested a strong trend in the expected direction. The findings have been discussed in terms of the characteristic family patterns of Jaunsar‐Bawar and acculturation factors.

Sex and becoming eminent as a political/organizational leader

Using 317 randomly selected eminent personalities, this study seeks to determine if female political and/or organizational eminents differ systematically from other female eminents, to ascertain how similar the socialization data and patterns are for eminent political males and females, and to determine how these patterns compare with those of male and female eminents in other areas of endeavor. The data indicate that to have the possibility of becoming a political/organizational leader, females seem to need to become more similar to males psychosocially. However, the socialization structures and agents needed to promote such comparable psychosocial developments are different from what have existed in the past. The female political/organizational eminents studied did come from a different type of family structure and background. In this sense, they differ in their socialization from what we know about the “average woman,” the other eminent females, and the male eminents. But the psychosocial product of such socialization is more like the male political/organizational eminent in terms of career and public role expectations. One implication of these findings is that the United States is likely to see more politically and organizationally eminent women in the future. The trend toward two-career households (because of economic conditions, as well as the women's movement) is likely to socialize more girls toward such positions.

Children's and Parents' Observed Social Behavior in Stepfather Families

SANTROCK, JoHN W.; WARSHAK, RICHARD; LINDBERGH, CmHERmYL; and MEADOWS, LARRY. Children's and Parents' Observed Social Behavior in Stepfather Families. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1982, 53, 472-480. The effects of remarriage on the parent's and the child's social behavior were studied by comparing 12 children whose biological mothers remarried with 12 children whose mothers were divorced but had not remarried and 12 children from intact, father-present families. Half the children were boys and half were girls, aged 6-11 years. Families were matched on SES and family size. Divorced and stepfather families were matched on age at onset of divorce, and children had been living in the stepfather family for a minimum of 18 months. The data consisted of videotaped observations of parent-child interaction; the parent's behavior and the child's behavior were coded separately. The most consistent findings suggested that boys in stepfather families showed more competent social behavior than boys in intact families, which corresponded with more competent parenting behavior in those stepfather families. By contrast, girls in stepfather families were observed to be more anxious than girls in intact families. Boys showed more warmth toward their stepfathers than did girls, while there was a trend for girls to show more anger toward their mothers than did boys in stepfather families. Divorced and stepfather children differed only in a trend for boys from stepfather families to show more mature behavior than boys from divorced homes. Mothers of boys in stepfather families did make more meaningful statements to them than the divorced mothers of boys. Few differences were found between divorced and intact families. It was concluded that the social behavior of children is not necessarily less competent in stepfather families than in intact or divorced families. The data suggested that such factors as parenting behavior, sex of child, and marital conflict in any type of family structure are implicated as possible explanations of the child's social behavior.

The Effects of Family Constellation and Child Gender on Parental Use of Evaluative Feedback

Mothers and fathers of 43 middle-class families were observed individually interacting during a paper-folding task with either their only or middle child in order to assess parental use of evaluation and task-facilitative behaviors with preschoolers. Middle children were from 3-child families in which the older sibling was the same sex as the target child. Sibling spacing was greater than 36 months in 12 families and less than 36 months in 11 families. With total interaction, parental income, education, and age as control variables, analyses indicated that parental approvals, disapprovals, task facilitative feedback, and helping behaviors varied with parent gender, child gender, and family constellation. Children's task performance did not differ significantly among groups. It was concluded that gender effects on parental use of evaluation feedback in parent-child teaching interactions may be different for families with different types of family structure.

Mate-Selection Systems and Criteria: Variation according to Family Structure

This paper examines the relationships between family structure type of mate-selection system and the cultural endorsement of romantic love as a basis for mate selection. Previous research in this aera has produced results which appear to be contradictory. Crosscultural data from a sample of 117 societies are employed to test hypotheses to the effect that autonomous mate selection and romantic love are more common in societies with nuclear than extended family systems; the hypotheses are supported with certain qualifications. An attempt is made to reconcile these findings with earlier research. (authors)

Factors Associated with More Positive Body Self-Concepts in Preschool Children

Summary A national stratified sample of 264 three- to five-year-old children and the parents or guardians of each child were individually interviewed to determine the body self-concepts of the children and factors associated with more positive body self-concepts. Of the factors examined—sex of child, nudity classification of family, race of child, area of the country, body build of child, years of education of head of household, birth order of child, age of child, age of parents or guardians, sex of interviewer, type of family structure, number of people in household, and number of siblings—only the first two were generally significant, with males having more positive body self-concepts than females (p < .001) and social nudists more positive body self-concepts than nonnudists (p < .001).

Transformation of Identity, Social Mobility and Kinship Solidarity

Changes Within the Young were discussed. These were: Images of Woman's Action (Dr. C. Carisse); Early and Enforced Marriages (Dr. W. Dumon); The Sexual Image of Marriage Through History (Dr. B. I. Murstein); Marital Expectations Discrepancies Between Ideals and Realities (Dr. C. Safilios-Rothschild); The Dual Career (Drs. Rhona and Robert Rapoport); Some Alternative Types of Family Structure (Dr. M. Young); Economic Behavior of Young Families (Dr. T. Walter).3

Family structure and conditions of hospitalization for schizophrenia

This paper raises the question of what social supports might permit the retention of schizophrenic patients in the community. Various types of family structure are examined in relation to the estimated duration of symptoms prior to hospitalization. It was found that the availability of sisters falling within certain ranges of age closeness to the patient is associated with relatively long durations for patients of both sexes. The availability of unemployed mothers and older children also lengthens the duration for female patients. The findings are discussed in the context of social system theory.

Problemes De Socialisation Et D'integration Socio-Culturelles: Contribution a L'etiologie De L'inceste

This is a sociological study based on 96 well-documented cases of incest from the files of the Département de la Seine between 1937 and 1954. Cases investigated were limited to those where very complete material was available, and to father-daughter incest, which is the most prevalent. It is accepted that statistics on discovered incest are highly unreliable, and that for every case that appears in court, there are probably many that are never discovered. The analysis of case material is divided in two parts: 1. Incestuous families are studied as a whole, their social characteristics and those of each member of the family involved, in an attempt to trace etiological factors. Beyond this, a study is made of the social and personal characteristics which pertain to those actually guilty of incest, which may partly explain the phenomenon. 2. The second part consists of case studies which permit us to see the effect of incest on family relations, and its appearance in different types of family. This enables us to distinguish individual from collective factors in the appearance of incest and in its duration. A comparison is made with other sociological studies. Statistical information is both full and detailed. The majority of the fathers (58) were between 36 and 45 years of age. Most were married, or in a common-law relationship, and were mainly in the working or lower classes. Sixty-nine of the men had no previous criminal conviction, and the group was generally non-criminal, though 54 were chronic or occasional alcoholics. Thirty-nine were described as authoritarian or withdrawn. Statistics indicate a much higher than normal incidence of instability. Only nine could be considered normal. With regard to sexuality, it seemed within normal range; a large proportion were sexually deprived at the time of incest. The mothers in the sample were generally somewhat younger; 32 were working outside the home with resultant lack of supervision. From the point of view of personality, 48 were described either as dominating or submissive, 35 as devoted mothers, 14 as of doubtful morality. A larger than normal number were passive and submissive. The attitude of the mother towards the children is described as good in 40, indifferent or poor in 43. With regard to the daughters, 54 were regarded as normal, 42 as abnormal or psychopathic personalities. Mental development showed that 27 were intellectually normal, 31 dull normal, and 38 handicapped. Turning to the family as a whole, it was noted that they were somewhat larger than average. With regard to housing, while the majority were lower class, only 24 families could be described as living either in slum or overcrowded conditions. Economically, the situation in the family ranged from 12 in easy circumstances, 38 in good, 32 in mediocre and 14 precarious. The factor of poverty was therefore not decisive. Concerning marital relations, they could be described as good in only 19 cases, fair in 18, and bad to very bad in 49. Attitude of parents towards the children was 71 indifferent or poor, and 25 good. The majority of the daughters reported violence or threats on the part of the father, but this must be treated with caution. There is evidence of instances of genuine assent, impulsive or passive acquiescence. A number of brief case histories are presented describing different types of family structure and situation, precipitating factors, etc. An analysis of the cases shows that incest was not limited to one locale or social group or class, and that the effect within the family varied according to the value system, whether it was normal or marginal. In some families, incest could be accepted or assimilated, while in others the disclosure broke up the relationship, or the family, and was accompanied with guilt and remorse. The point is made that in some families early incest barriers were not well established, with consequent continuing attachment to sexual objects within the family. Socialization was incomplete to the point that what is generally considered abnormal was acceptable. In other situations, predisposing factors like the absence of the wife, provocative attitude of the daughter, alcoholism, depression of the father played an important part. The traumatic effects of incest on the daughter are discussed. Early sexual relations tend to affect both physical and mental balance; equally important is the restriction of normal social contacts. There is growing jealousy and possessiveness on the part of the father, which usually results in a disclosure of incest. The conclusion is that incest is not related to one factor, but to a congregation in which the social must be taken into account, as no human behaviour is ever completely intelligible from the light of individual psychopathology.

Socialization and Achievement Motivation in Brazil

This study examined the relationship of family structure to socialization and achievement motivation in Brazil. A Thematic Apperception Test was used to measure achievement motivation in boys; observation, interviews and questionnaires were employed to obtain data on family structure, child-rearing practices and the boy's perception of his parents. The Brazilian data were compared with those obtained from a criterion group of American boys and their mothers, matched by age and social class. The data revealed that Brazilian mothers were less likely to train their sons in self-reliance, autonomy, and achievement than were American mothers. This de-emphasis on independence and achievement was associated with a common type of family structure in Brazil-the authoritarian, father-dominated family. The indulgence, over-protectiveness, and authoritarianism which boys experience in this type of family were regarded as significant factors responsible for the markedly low achievement motivation among Brazilian boys.

Family Environment and Cognitive Style: A Study of the Sources of Highly Intelligent and of Highly Creative Adolescents

The current use of the IQ metric as the chief criterion of intellectual functioning restricts the study of social correlates of cognition to factors associated largely with amount of intelligence. It is possible, however, to assess processes not now adequately sampled by the intelligence test, and to identify individuals differing in what might be called cognitive style. Two such groups of adolescents were studied: (a) those exceptionally high in intelligence (IQ) but not concomitantly high in creativity, and (b) those exceptionally high in creativity but not concomitantly high in intelligence (IQ). The groups were found to differ not only in intellective and social behavior, but to have their source in differing family environments. How types of cognition are shaped by types of family structure would seem to be a fruitful area for further theoretical and empirical examination.

African Systems of Kinship and Marriage

Kinship among the Swazi, Hilda Kuper Nyakyusa kinship, Monica Wilson kinship and marriage among the Lozi of northern Rhodesia and the Zulu of Natal, Max Gluckman kinship and marriage among the Tswana, I. Schapera some types of family structure amongst the central Bantu, A.I. Richards kinship and marriage among the Ashanti, M. Fortes double descent among the Yako, Daryll Forde dual descent in the Nuba hills, S.F. Nadel kinship and the local community among the Nuer, E.E. Evans-Prichard.

Some Problems in the Study of Hostility and Aggression in Middle-Class American Families

This paper is primarily an impressionistic sketch of an on-going piece of family research. No conclusions can as yet be offered. Instead, I intend briefly to suggest a frame of reference for the study of family hostility as well as enumerate some of the procedures of field work used in the present project.Much has been written about the family by many sociologists of various persuasions. Yet a large part of this phase of sociological effort leaves one dissatisfied. Admittedly data on our own types of family structure are hidden from clear view precisely because of their familiarity as well as their privacy. But this fact is not sufficient to account for the disparity between the experienced complexity of family life and the sparsity of published details made significant by a sustained and incisive theoretic orientation. Headway could be made by the use of a frame of reference which combines sociological with psychological considerations, without confusing them, and which draws its vitality from the impassioned analyses of the structure of large-scale social systems and of individual character as begun by Weber and Freud. At the present time family research seems on the whole to have made little consistent use of the leads of kinship analysis and to have by-passed a cumulative effort at spelling out the empirical details of the social structure of various types of American families. As it is, we hear much about the family as a “unity of interacting personalities,” about processes of accommodation or conflict, or about the kinds of valuation that marital partners place upon one another; yet we hear little of the intervening details which, in their fullness, would give us a sense of how indeed a family as an on-going concern functions and how the inherent or emergent demands of its social structure are met, how the social structure of a family is related meaningfully or functionally to the rest of the social system, and how any given family of orientation dissolves into successive families of procreation.