Force Family Research Articles

Trade liberalization and women's marriage and fertility decisions in Vietnam

This study investigates the impact of a large demand shock driven by the US-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) in 2001 on the timing of women's marital decisions and first childbirth experiences in Vietnam. We hypothesize that the reduction in women's and men's self-employment would delay family formation and childbirth, with the ultimate impact on marriage remaining ambiguous. Analyzing data from the Vietnam Household Living Standards Surveys, we find that both men and women are less likely to be self-employed in the face of a substantial trade shock. Notably, the decreasing impact on women's self-employment becomes more pronounced than that for men post-2012, a decade after the agreement's enforcement. Employing the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey and survival analysis, we empirically demonstrate that increased exposure to trade postpones women's timing of marriage and first childbirth. On average, in 2013, the BTA resulted in a 7.39- and 7.42 %-point decrease in the probability of entering marriage and becoming a mother, respectively. We also present suggestive evidence that increased exposure to trade liberalization eventually increases the likelihood of marriage and the number of children among women over 40. The findings in this study imply that policy promoting trade liberalization should consider its extensive impacts on young labor force's family formation through change in their individual economic prospects.

La red social: dimensión central de comprensión estructural y funcional de los programas de fortalecimiento familiar de la Fuerza Aérea Colombiana.

Este artículo describe e interpreta los resultados de un trabajo investigativo de carácter cualitativo y de relevancia social, teniendo como referente teórico y hermenéutico el concepto vivo de red social. La red social es concebida como un elemento fundamental para el ser humano, dado que a través de ella se tejen y construyen las relaciones personales, familiares, comunitarias y sociales. En el contexto de esta investigación, el interés principal fue la identificación y descripción respecto al funcionamiento y la estructura de la red social de los programas de atención y promoción familiar, liderados por la Dirección de Familia y Bienestar Social (DIFAB) de la Fuerza Aérea Colombiana (FAC). Participaron 25 personas, 10 madres y padres usuarios de los servicios de apoyo que ofrece la DIFAB y 15 Profesionales (Psicólogos, Trabajadores Sociales, Docentes, Capellanes) que conforman los Equipos Móviles de Intervención Familiar de la FAC. La investigación de corte cualitativo con un enfoque descriptivo y hermeneútico se aplicó a la muestra poblacional mediante una entrevista semiestructurada a través de la técnica del grupo focal. Los resultados muestran que la red social cumple funciones de apoyo emocional, generación de vínculos de cooperación y servicios específicos, asimismo se encuentra vigente una normatividad interna en la institución que ampara la familia de los uniformados.

Consejos: The Power of Cultural Narratives

Consejos, cultural narratives, conveys the Estrada family's feelings, perceptions, actions, and responses to the educational system. The Estrada family's story of is one of persistence and love when dealing with schools. Their practice of consejos represents an eight‐year span of time in which conversations with the Estradas illustrated the family's force in the power relations that exist between families and schools in Carpinteria. The concept of consejos spotlights how, in spite of the perceived powerlessness on the part of Mexican immigrant families against the schools, this cultural practice identifies the family's force and unity in support of one another while challenging the schools' notions of learning. The Estradas are empowered through their consejos, their collective work with other families, and school personnel advocates.

Family Violence in the Air Force: A Look at Offenders and the Role of the Family Advocacy Program

Family violence exists throughout society and, unfortunately, also among military families. The Air Force's Family Advocacy Program is designed not only to treat victims, offenders, and families of abuse and neglect, but also to provide prevention services. Each Air Force base has a Family Advocacy Officer, who is a credentialed clinical social worker, charged with the duty of addressing spouse abuse and child maltreatment problems. To evaluate the effectiveness of current services, and to improve the quality of the services provided through the Family Advocacy Program, the Air Force is currently conducting a 4-year evaluation study. This research represents the largest study ever conducted on family violence, with either military or civilian offenders. This paper, based upon the first year of data collected at approximately one-third of all Air Force medical treatment facilities, reported on the descriptive characteristics of the substantiated cases of spouse abuse and child abuse/neglect, and the interventions which were being recommended to alleviate the abusive situations and to prevent future maltreatment. The results will guide policy and future manning and staffing decisions for the Air Force Family Advocacy Program, and serve to document the kinds of treatment strategies which work most effectively for which kinds of problems. Findings are expected to help improve the quality of services to victims, offenders, and families, and to do so for those who are civilians as well as for those who are in the military.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)