Mary Beth Phillips

This photo was taken in 2014. Mrs. Phillips\u27 interview is available at http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/oral_hist/64/https://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/oralhistory_gallery/1120/thumbnail.jp

Mary Beth Phillips

This photo was taken at the 2012 Recognition Banquet. Mrs. Phillips\u27 interview is available at http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/oral_hist/64/https://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/oralhistory_gallery/1119/thumbnail.jp

Mary Beth Phillips

This photo was taken at the 2007 Recognition Banquet. Mrs. Phillips\u27 interview is available at http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/oral_hist/64/https://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/oralhistory_gallery/1118/thumbnail.jp

Identity Development as the Parent of a Lesbian or Gay Male

This study is designed to more fully understand the adaptational processes that parents of lesbians and gay men experience when their children come out to them. Seventeen parents described their experiences in semi-structured interviews. The interview transcripts were analyzed using grounded theory methodology to develop a model of parental adjustment over time. Parents experienced three broad phases of adjustment, each with different emphases: emotional responses were most dominant initially, cognitive and behavioral adjustments were the primary focus of the middle phase, and moral/spiritual issues were the major concern of the final phase. Some parents who successfully negotiated these adjustments came to view being the parent of a gay male or lesbian as an important component of their identities. Implications for further research and clinical practice are discussed

Exploring Unintended Pregnancy in the United States Military: A Phenomenological Approach

Nearly half of the 6.7 million pregnancies in the United States each year are unintended. The U.S. unintended pregnancy rate is significantly higher than the rate in many other developed countries. By age 45, more than half of all American women will have experienced an unintended pregnancy, and three in ten will have had an abortion. Previous empirical research aimed to fix the rate of unintended pregnancy before it was adequately explored. The rationale for this study emanated from the belief that interventions intended to reduce the rate of unintended pregnancy will be more successful if the essence of unintended pregnancy is better understood. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to generate skepticism about accepted meanings and interpretations concerning unintended pregnancy and to critique ideologies that distort those meanings and interpretations. The rate of unintended pregnancy for women in the U.S. military, using the most conservative measure, is 50% higher than rates of unintended pregnancy among similarly aged women in the general, non military, public. Using a critical hermeneutic philosophical approach, this study used the lived experience, as described by servicewomen who faced an unintended pregnancy, as a tool for better understanding the social, cultural, political, and historical context in which that pregnancy occurred. Findings suggest that women at risk for unintended pregnancy may not have the practical knowledge to critically think about their own sexual practices, may have a poor appreciation of their sexual selves, and may fear moral judgment for acknowledging any sexual behaviors

Letter to Editor: Behavior Inconsistent with Attitudes?

I welcome John and Valerie Braithwaite\u27s survey on Attitudes Toward Animal Suffering (tnt j Stud Anim Prob 3(1):42-49, 1982) as a good beginning in establishing a much-needed empirical basis for discussions of the issue. Their selection of survey items is exceptionally well designed, providing a systematic comparison of attitudes across relevant values of several important variables. However, in my opinion, the Braithwaites\u27 analysis of the data obtained reflects a mistaken assumption that one can infer behavior from written responses to a questionnaire. The findings also indicate that attitudes to animal research are strongly influenced by the pain level the animal is perceived to experience

Perception of Resistance as a Predictor of Self-Blame in College Women Who Have Experienced Sexual Assault

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between resistance and perception of resistance during sexual assault and feelings of self-blame in college aged women. The literature has shown that self-blame has uniformly negative effects on a victimized woman\u27s emotional and psychological health, including poor adjustment, and higher levels of sexual dissatisfaction, depression and global distress. Behaviors and situations during and after the experience that correlate with self-blame that have been studied include alcohol use and knowing the perpetrator. Although other studies have been done showing that resistance is lower during those situations, no one has looked at a direct link between resistance and self-blame. The purpose of this study was to see whether resistance is a predictor of self-blame in women who have experienced unwanted sexual contact. Hierarchical regressions revealed resistance was a significant predictor of self-blame, but that perception of resistance was a significant predictor of self-blame. Further analysis revealed a positive correlation between acknowledgement of rape and self-blame as well

Teaching General Biology for Nonmajors Through Community Service Projects

For many students, especially for the biology nonmajors, science is often one of the last courses they take before completing their degree. Often, these students enter my course with a previous bad experience from courses in high school or have developed anxieties regarding what science is all about. They are reluctant learners who frequently shy from questions and classroom discussions. Their own insecurities and presumed lack of knowledge frequently !eaves them floundering and confused. The message is, I am here because I need \u27x\u27 number of science units before completing my degree