Identity Style, Substance Use, and Perceived Family Functioning Among Young Adults: An Exploratory Study

One hundred eight individuals between the ages of 17 and 25 completed measures assessing identity style, family functioning, and substance use. Fifty-seven respondents were evaluated as they were applying for services at a local substance abuse treatment center. Fifty-one respondents were surveyed from a local university general education class. The identity style construct is a self-report measure that evaluates the problem-solving and decision -making strategies of respondents. These constructs echo Marcia\u27s identity statuses with the Normative and Diffuse/Avoidant subscales being utilized in this study. Family functioning was also assessed by self-report and evaluated overall family functioning. A factor analysis of the substance use measure resulted in two factors that were defined as Gateway drugs (alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana) and Illicit Substances (cocaine, hallucinogens, etc.) and were assessed as either use or nonuse during the last 4 weeks. Findings support the identity developmental paradigm of problem behavior and suggest that Normative-oriented respondents reported less use of Gateway Drugs and more functional family attributes. Conversely, the Diffuse/Avoidant-oriented respondents reported more use of substances and less functional family attributes. Difficulties in measurement are presented as well as suggestions for family-based intervention strategies designed to reduce young adult substance use and abuse

Utah Families- The Issues They Face

With the wide variety of difficulties that our society faces and the limited funding available to address these concerns, it is important to identify and prioritize critical family issues. Because the family is a major contributor to individual and societal development, it is important to focus attention on issues which have a direct impact on family functioning. In identifying issues it is also helpful to understand demographic and geographic influences which may contribute to an individual\u27s perceived urgency of a given issue. This can assist policy makers in their efforts to appropriately allocate limited funds to the best suited and greatest need areas

Profiles of Adolescent Identity Development: Response to an Intervention for Alcohol/Other Drug Problems

The purpose of this study was to examine identity development among adolescents participating in an after-school alcohol/other drug (AOD) abuse intervention program (8 females and 12 males, ages 14–17) to identify how identity development was associated with intervention success. To achieve this goal we (a) garnered information from two identity interviews conducted during the first week of the intervention and 6 to 8 weeks later; (b) adopted a qualitative, person-centered analytical strategy to identify identity profiles; and (c) examined the intervention response of the adolescents, as recorded in intervention documents, in the different identity profile groups. Analyses revealed five identity profiles wherein adolescents differed in their responses to the ‘‘identity challenges’’ encountered in the intervention. Implications for AOD interventions are discussed

Parental involvement during adolescence and contraceptive use in college

The current study aimed to explore the relationships between parental involvement during adolescence on sexual behaviors among college students. Research has shown that parental involvement decreases as students move from high school to college, but the impact that parents had on their students while in high school continues into college. It is important to determine if one factor relating to the number of sexual partners, sexual activity, and contraceptive use is parental involvement during adolescence. After approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB), an online survey using Survey Monkey was administered to a convenience sample of undergraduate students in a general education course at a large Southeastern university. Items measuring sexual activity, contraceptive use, and parental involvement were compiled to make-up the 36-item instrument. Following data analysis, strong negative correlations were found between father’s involvement during adolescence and the number of sexual partners. There were not, however, statistically significant relationships between mother’s involvement during adolescence and the number of sexual partners. Results also indicated that father’s involvement during adolescence was statistically significant in relation to sexual behaviors. The results also found that father’s involvement during adolescence were statistically significant related to contraceptive use in college. The results of this study indicate the importance of father involvement during adolescence to impact sexual behaviors, sexual partners, and contraceptives use during college. Health Educators must focus on parental involvement, specifically father involvement, to help reduce risky sexual behaviors among college students

Identity Formation in a Relational Context: A Person-Centered Analysis of Troubled Youth

The purpose of this study was to examine the identity formation of troubled youth (8 female and 12 male adolescents, ages 14–17) in an after-school treatment program for problem behavior. To achieve this goal we (a) garnered information from 2 identity interviews given 6 to 8 weeks apart, (b) adopted a qualitative, person-centered analytical strategy to identify identity profiles, and (c) examined the identity profiles within a relational context, focusing on the developmentally salient domains of parents and peers. Analyses revealed 5 identity profiles similar to the identity statuses previously described by Marcia and others, but with unique phenomenological differences. Across the profiles, youth differed in their responses (in terms of exploration and commitment) to the “identity challenges” they encountered during this brief period. Likewise, the relational contexts of parental and peer support also varied across profiles

Food Safety for 4-H Youth: A Survey of Interests and Educational Methods

Improper food safety practices cause numerous illnesses and cost Americans billions of dollars each year. The study reported here addressed food safety issues by analyzing data from surveys with 4-H youth about their food safety attitudes, behaviors, and preferred methods of educational delivery. Analyses of gender differences indicate that males and females have distinct attitudes, behaviors, and preferences, necessitating more tailored educational approaches. Youth are most interested in food safety information that is fun, interactive, and built around cooking demonstrations. 4-H staff and others in Extension can optimize youth learning and practice change by approaching food safety from this experiential perspective

Providing Family Education for Grandparent Caregivers: Lessons from the GRandS Program

Grandparents who take on primary responsibility for raising grandchildren face unique family challenges while helping reduce the burden on the foster care system. The GRandS (Grandfamily Resilience and Sustainability) Program was a family life education program designed with three fundamental goals: (a) increase grandparent caregivers\u27 knowledge and skills in parenting and child development, (b) fortify their relationships with spouses and grandchildren, and (c) inform them about, and connect them to, available community resources. In this article, we describe the program implementation and evaluation, including the use of quantitative analysis and anecdotal accounts. Additionally, on the basis of our findings and experience with the program, we identify factors important to Extension\u27s successfully serving grandfamilies

Converging identities: dimensions of acculturation and personal identity status among immigrant college students

The present study was designed to ascertain the extent to which dimensions of acculturation would differ across personal identity statuses in a sample of 2,411, first and second generation immigrant college‐attending emerging adults. Participants from 30 colleges and universities around the United States completed measures of personal identity processes as well as of heritage and American cultural practices, values, and identifications. Cluster‐analytic procedures were used to classify participants into personal identity statuses based on the personal identity processes. Results indicated that, across ethnic groups, individuals in the achieved and searching moratorium statuses reported the greatest endorsement of heritage and American cultural practices, values, and identifications; and individuals in the carefree diffusion status reported the lowest endorsement of all the cultural variables under study. These results are discussed in terms of the convergence between personal identity and cultural identity processes

Meaning in life in emerging adulthood: a person-oriented approach

The present study investigated naturally occurring profiles based on two dimensions of meaning in life: Presence of Meaning and Search for Meaning. Cluster analysis was used to examine meaning-in-life profiles, and subsequent analyses identified different patterns in psychosocial functioning for each profile. A sample of 8,492 American emerging adults (72.5% women) from 30 colleges and universities completed measures on meaning in life, and positive and negative psychosocial functioning. Results provided support for five meaningful yet distinguishable profiles. A strong generalizability of the cluster solution was found across age, and partial generalizability was found across gender and ethnicity. Furthermore, the five profiles showed specific patterns in relation to positive and negative psychosocial functioning. Specifically, respondents with profiles high on Presence of Meaning showed the most adaptive psychosocial functioning, whereas respondents with profiles where meaning was largely absent showed maladaptive psychosocial functioning. The present study provided additional evidence for prior research concerning the complex relationship between Presence of Meaning and Search for Meaning, and their relation with psychosocial functioning. Our results offer a partial clarification of the nature of the Search for Meaning process by distinguishing between adaptive and maladaptive searching for meaning in life