Evaluation of Family Relations in Custody Cases%253A Adapting The Structured Assessment Form for Children to Turkish Culture

The main goal of the study was to adapt the Structured Child Assessment Tool for Family Relationships (SCARF) developed by Strachan et al. (2010) to Turkish culture and to develop an assessment tool for the evaluators working in custody cases to make a standardized assessment in child interviews. The study involved 130 children between the ages of 4 and 14 who were included in custody cases. For the reliability of the assessment tool, Cronbach%252339%253Bs Alpha coefficients were computed for dimensions and sub-dimensions by age and examined with the test-retest method. For construct validity, Spearman Correlation Analysis was conducted for the correlation between the scores given by the child and the evaluator to the parents. Independent samples t-test was applied to specify whether there was a statistically significant difference between the scores given by children to their parents. In the research, a significant positive relationship was established in the scores given to the mother in both assessment tools for construct validity. In the scores given to the father, a significant relationship was found in all dimensions except Negative Parenting and Co-Parenting (plt%253B0.01). The comparison of the scores given by the child to the parents did not reveal any significant difference between the scores of the mother and father in all dimensions and sub-dimensions (pgt%253B0.05). As a consequence, it was established that the SCARF is a valid, reliable, and appropriate assessment tool for Turkish culture that can be used by the evaluator in child with custody cases

Influence of Fathers on Children Development

The literature indicated two controversial perspectives about the father’s importance on adolescent development (Amato, 1994). First one suggested a minimal role of fathers in child development and lives, and second one suggested that father involvement contribute positively to children’s well-being and development. A growing body of research suggests that adolescents’ relationship with their fathers was related to healthier psychosocial outcomes

Baba katılım eğitiminin aile işlevlerine ve lise 9. sınıf öğrencilerinin akran ilişkilerine etkisi.

The purpose of the present study was twofold: (a) to design and determine the effect of Father Involvement Training (FIT), which is based on social-cognitive theory principals, on family functioning in father-adolescent relationships, and (b) to examine the effect of Father Involvement Training (FIT) on the quality of the peer relationships of 9th grade high school students, whose fathers participated in the study. The sample composed of twenty- six 9th grade students’ fathers. The 2x3 experimental design examined pre-training, post-training and six-month follow-up measurements of an experimental group and control group. Experimental group received a ten-week father involvement training which was developed by the researcher while the control group did not receive any training. Parent Success Indicator (PSI) was used to assess family functioning of fathers and Parent Adolescent Relationship Scale (PARS) was used to assess family functioning of children whose fathers participated in the study. In order to assess peer relationships of children, Peer Relationship Scale (PRS) was used. Data were analyzed by employing Mann Whitney U Test, Friedman Test, and Wilcoxon Sign Rank Test. The results revealed that the Father Involvement Training had significant effects on the father-child relationship and family functioning of experimental group’s fathers. The experimental group’s fathers had gained higher total scores both at the end of the study and at the follow-up measures in PSI. The adolescents, whose fathers participated in the experimental group, improved in close-relationship and sensitivity dimensions at the end of the study. However, the improvements were not maintained after the six months follow-up measurements. In addition, ratings of the children, whose fathers participated in the experimental group, decreased from pretest to follow-up measures on meeting expectations dimension of the PARS. Lastly, there was a significant improvement in trust and identification dimension of peer relationship levels of children whose fathers received the training compared to children whose fathers did not receive the training. The experimental group fathers’ evaluation reports indicated that fathers perceived improvement in different dimensions such as father child communication, behavioral changes in relationship with their children.Ph.D. - Doctoral Progra

The effects of father involvement training on family functioning and adolescents peer relations

The purpose of the present study was twofold: (a) to design and determine the effect of Father Involvement Training (FIT), which is based on social-cognitive theory principals, on family functioning in father-adolescent relationships, and (b) to examine the effect of Father Involvement Training (FIT) on the quality of the peer relationships of 9th grade high school students, whose fathers participated in the study.. The sample composed of twenty- six 9th grade students’ fathers. The 2x3 experimental design examined pre-training, post-training and six-month follow-up measurements of an experimental group and control group. Experimental group received a ten-week father involvement training which was developed by the researcher while the control group did not receive any training. Parent Success Indicator (PSI) was used to assess family functioning of fathers and Parent Adolescent Relationship Scale (PARS) was used to assess family functioning of children whose fathers participated in the study. In order to assess peer relationships of children, Peer Relationship Scale (PRS) was used. Data were analyzed by employing Mann Whitney U Test, Friedman Test, and Wilcoxon Sign Rank Test. The results revealed that the Father Involvement Training had significant effects on the father-child relationship and family functioning of experimental group’s fathers. The experimental group’s fathers had gained higher total scores both at the end of the study and at the follow-up measures in PSI. The adolescents, whose fathers participated in the experimental group, improved in close-relationship and sensitivity dimensions at the end of the study. However, the improvements were not maintained after the six months follow-up measurements. In addition, ratings of the children, whose fathers participated in the experimental group, decreased from pretest to follow-up measures on meeting expectations dimension of the PARS. Lastly, there was a significant improvement in trust and identification dimension of peer relationship levels of children whose fathers received the training compared to children whose fathers did not receive the training. The experimental group fathers’ evaluation reports indicated that fathers perceived improvement in different dimensions such as father child communication, behavioral changes in relationship with their children

Affective reactions to one’s whole life: Preliminary development and validation of the ontological well-being scale

Şimşek, Ömer Faruk (Arel Author)In line with the perspective provided by the intentional paradigm which claims that the measures of subjective well-being (SWB), whether cognitive or affective, should refer to life itself, the Ontological Well-Being Scale (OWBS) has been operationalized. The research reported herein was aimed at developing and validating this psychometric tool in the assessment of individuals’ affective evaluations of their life within a three-time perspective. Five studies were conducted to confirm the factor structure of the OWBS and to assess its construct validity. Four factors were derived and validated, which were shown to relate to mental health indicators and personality in expected ways. It was found that this new construct, in contrast with the current measures, did not tap into the personality factors of extraversion and neuroticism. Incremental validity results showed that the OWBS explained additional variance in mental health indicators already captured by the current measures of SWB

Parental attachment and adolescents' perception of school alienation: the mediation role of self-esteem and adjustment

Şimşek, Ömer Faruk (Arel Author)The present study examined the relationship between adolescents' attachment to parents and their feelings of alienation in the school context by considering the mediating role of adjustment and self-esteem. It was proposed that the degree of attachment to one's parents was associated with adjustment and self-esteem, which in turn predicted possible school alienation. A total of 227 students completed self-report measures on parental attachment, adjustment, self-esteem, and alienation from school. Results were consistent with the attachment theory and related literature that posits that (a) secure attachment to parents was associated with adjustment and self-esteem, (b) secure attachment to parents was negatively associated with feelings of school alienation, and (c) adjustment and self-esteem were a crucial mediators between attachment to parents and school alienation. In addition to enhanced adjustment, the self-esteem of adolescents may be an additional factor in reducing alienation at school. The results also supported the mediator role of self-esteem in the relationship between attachment to parents and adjustment. Finally, the relationship between self-esteem and school alienation were shown to be fully mediated by adjustment. The results were discussed in the context of responsibilities of teachers and school counselors, which may provide both students and parents with the skills to improve social functioning in the school context

Higher-order Traits and Happiness in the Workplace: The Importance of Occupational Project Scale for the Evaluation of Characteristic Adaptations

Buruk, Pelin ( Arel Graduate Student), Şimşek, Ömer Faruk (Arel Author)This study attempts to explain the relationship between job satisfaction and the Big Two, Stability and Plasticity, which are the higher-order traits of Big Five. Occupational Project, a narrative construct, was considered a mediator variable in this relationship. Occupational Project consists of affective and cognitive evaluations of an individual's work life as a project in terms of the completed (past), the ongoing (present) and the prospective (future) parts. The survey method was applied to a sample of 253 participants. The results supported the proposed model, in which Occupational Project mediated the relationship between the Big Two and both job satisfaction and affect in workplace. Discussion is focused on applying Occupational Project as a practical tool for management. Consideration of an employee's Occupational Project could provide management with a means to question, understand, intervene with and redefine the narrative quality of his/her occupational project that influences job satisfaction

Ontological Wellbeing of University Students: A Cluster-Analysis Approach

Şimşek, Ömer Faruk (Arel Author)This study is focused on the relationship between purpose in life, emotional wellbeing, ontological (life project) wellbeing, and compassionate love. The Purpose in Life subscale of Psychological Well-Being Scale, Emotional Wellbeing Scale, Ontological Wellbeing Scale, and Compassionate Love for Humanity Scale were administered to 287 students who were undergraduate students and graduate students (masters and doctoral). Cluster analysis results indicated profiles of three factors. First profile showed high level of hope and come into action toward low regret and nothingness. High regret and nothingness were experienced toward low level of hope and come into action on the second profile. Moderate ontological wellbeing was exposed on the last profile. MANOVA analyses were used to compare those three profiles and statistically significant difference were found between Emotional Wellbeing, Purpose in Life, and Compassionate Love Scores. Moreover, the results of the study indicated that exposing high level of ontological wellbeing on hope and come into action is related to life goals, emotional wellbeing, and compassionate love