Factors associated with self-competence and quality of life in Chinese-American children

The goal of this study was to examine factors associated with self-competence and quality of life in Chinese-American children. A cross-sectional design was used to examine factors associated with Chinese-American children’s self-competence (perception of their own competence) and quality of life. Body mass index was used to measure children’s relative weight. Children completed the Self-Perception Profile for Children, the Pediatric Quality of Life self-report, and the Children's Self-Administered Physical Activity Checklist. Parents provided demographic information and reported their level of acculturation. Sixty-five 8- and 10-year-old Chinese-American children (49% boys, 51% girls) and their parents participated in the study. Boys reported higher levels of competence in athletics than girls reported. Multivariate regression models reveal that an increased level of sedentary activity in Chinese American children contributes to low competence levels with respect to physical appearance and decreased quality of life in the social health domain. Increased BMI is related to decreased selfcompetence in physical appearance. Low levels of sedentary activity have a great influence on selfcompetence and quality of life in Chinese American children. The development of culturally appropriate programs that decrease sedentary activity and improve quality of life is critical for health promotion among Chinese Americans

Correlates of adolescents\u27 aggression

This study focused on exploring the attitudes of adolescents in the Caribbean and the United States toward aggression. The comparison of adolescents on the measure of aggression from these two diverse cultures could provide valuable information in understanding how culture and its effect on adolescents\u27 aggression. There were 279 Black students from St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands (U.S.V.I.) and Knoxville, Tennessee (TN) participated in this study. They completed measures of self-esteem, aggressive behavior in specific domains (school, peers, and home), problem solving (religious perspective), beliefs about aggression, and general information about themselves, such as church attendance and frequency of punishment. Subjects were recruited from a junior high school in St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. and the Boys and Girls Club in Knoxville, TN. All the measures in this study were self-reported instruments. Significant differences were found between Knoxville and St. Thomas adolescents on their use of aggression and their beliefs about aggression. Knoxville adolescents were found to be more likely to use aggression at home than the St. Thomas adolescents. They were also found to be more likely than the St. Thomas adolescents to legitimize their use of aggression and to use their aggression to avoid negative image. Gender differences were also found within groups on their use of aggression and beliefs about aggression. St. Thomas females were more likely than the St. Thomas males and the Knoxville females to use aggression at school. They were similar to the Knoxville males in their use of aggression at school. Some support was found for a positive relationship between aggression and self-esteem. Additional support was also found for church attendance having a positive effect on lessening subjects\u27 beliefs about aggression. A self-directing religious problem solving approach was positively related to the subjects\u27 beliefs about aggression. Aggressive discipline by parents was found to be related to aggressive behavior. Suggestions were made regarding future directions that research should head, such as the need for more research among Black cultural groups, the need to investigate how religion can best be incorporated in violence prevention programs, and the need for more research on self-esteem and aggression

Messages in the Medium: The Relationships Among Black Media Images, Racial Identity, Body Image, and the Racial Socialization of Black Youth

Despite modest research relating racism and media (Tynes & Ward, 2009; Ward, 2004), how Black youth interpret negative stereotype images of Black people promulgated in the media has not adequately been explored. This dissertation study examines the relationships among exposure to Black media images, racial identity, racial socialization, body image and self-esteem for 14- to 21-year-old Black youth. Focus groups were administered to learn about how Black youth interpret Black media images and whether they could identify negative stereotype messages. Next, survey data was collected to pilot the Black Media Messages Questionnaire and to examine the relationships among Black media images, racial identity, racial socialization, body image and self-esteem scores of Black youth. Confirmatory factor analysis of the BMMQ revealed a 3 scale (Black Media Message Belief, Black Media Message TV Frequency and Black Media Message Magazine Frequency) six-factor solution. The BMMQ factors were found to have significant correlations with age, body image, Black History Knowledge, racial identity and racial/ethnic (R/E) socialization. Although there were few significant ANOVA findings for racial/ethnic socialization MANOVA analyses resulted in significant relationships among age, gender, R/E coping and R/E stereotypical socialization. A four cluster racial identity solution resulted in distinct profiles that were found to have significant interactions with gender, age, body image, Black history knowledge, endorsement of negative stereotype media messages and racial ideology scores. The findings suggest racial identity, racial socialization and Black History knowledge play a role in whether Black youth identify and endorse stereotypical media images of Black people

Adoption by Lesbian and Gay People: The Use and Mis-Use of Social Science Research

In the past twenty years, openly lesbian and gay people have joined in the evolving national dialogue, within the law and elsewhere, about adoption. This Article considers the adoption dialogue, addressing in particular the facts and beliefs that sometimes form (both by informing and misinforming) the dialogue. Part I of this Article describes the ways in which lesbian and gay people confront adoption\u27s legal structures. Part II discusses the findings of social science research on parenting by lesbian and gay people. Part III reviews and analyzes some of the responses to this research. The Conclusion considers the nature of the discussions regarding the research and suggests a mode of reconstruction. I. The Legal Structures of Adoption The legal process of adoption intersects with the lives of lesbian and gay people in a variety of ways. The most common are (1) second parent adoptions in which a lesbian or gay person adopts the child of a partner, and (2) traditional adoptions, in which a lesbian or gay person adopts a foster child or a child whom the adoptive parent has previously not cared for. 1 The traditional form of adoption extinguishes the parental rights and obligations of the biological or legal parent so that the adoptive parent becomes the sole parent. Second parent adoption, however, leaves the parental rights of one legally recognized parent intact and creates a second legally recognized parent for the child. These adoptions have become fairly routine among children of heterosexual step-parents, though typically pursuant to ..

An exploration of obesity: childhood onset obesity and adult onset obesity

The prevalence of obesity in the United States can be considered alarming, given its dramatic increase over the past twenty years. A large percentage of the obese population suffers from both medical and psychological side effects. This study focused on how non-obese and obese individuals perceive one\u27s own body. Based on research, it was hypothesized that obese individuals are more likely than non-obese individuals to perceive one\u27s body negatively. It was also hypothesized that obese individuals who suffer from childhood onset obesity as opposed to adult onset obesity are more likely to perceive one\u27s body negatively. Participants were recruited from a medical office located in a middle-upper class suburban town of South Jersey. Body shape attitudes were attained through the Body Shape Questionnaire. Through a One-Way ANOVA, it was found that non-obese females view their bodies more favorably than obese females. No significant results were found to support a relationship between childhood and adult onset obesity

Parental influences on adolescent physical activity: a longitudinal study

BACKGROUND: Physical inactivity is increasing among adolescents in the U.S., especially among girls. Despite growing evidence that parents are an important influence on adolescent health, few longitudinal studies have explored the causal relationship between parental influence and physical activity. This study examines how the relationships between parental influences and adolescent physical activity differ by gender and tests whether these relationships are mediated by adolescents' self-esteem and depression. METHODS: Data are from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. The sample includes 13,246 youth, grades 7 to 12, interviewed in 1995 and again 1 year later. Logit models were used to evaluate parental influences on achieving five or more bouts of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week [MVPA] and whether the relationship between parental influence and MVPA was mediated by adolescents' level of self-esteem and depression. RESULTS: Family cohesion, parent-child communication and parental engagement positively predicted MVPA for both genders one year later (odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for females, 1.09 [1.05–1.12], 1.13 [1.07–1.19], 1.25 [1.17–1.33] and males, 1.08 [1.04–1.11], 1.14 [1.07–1.23], 1.23 [1.14–1.33], respectively); however, parental monitoring did not (odds ratio and confidence intervals for females and males, 1.02 [.97–1.07]). For both females and males, self-esteem mediated the relationship between parental influence and physical activity. Depressive symptoms were only a mediator among males. Females reported higher levels of parent-child communication and lower family cohesion compared with males. There were no gender differences in levels of parental monitoring and engagement. Females had significantly lower levels of self-esteem and higher levels of depressive symptoms than males. CONCLUSION: Strategies to promote physical activity among adolescents should focus on increasing levels of family cohesion, parental engagement, parent-child communication and adolescent self-esteem