Journal of Community Health

, Volume 11, Issue 2, pp 122–136 | Cite as

A baseline evaluation of family support programs

  • Janet Reis
  • Linda Barbera-Stein
  • Elicia Herz
  • John Orme
  • Susan Bennett
Articles

Abstract

This paper presents a baseline evaluation of four demonstration family support programs located in communities identified as having a disproportionate number of families at risk for malfunctioning. In this baseline evaluation, a one year cohort of 422 family support participants were assessed along key dimensions of parenting known to contribute to child well-being and potentially to the incidence of child abuse or child neglect. These dimensions include parents' attitudes toward child rearing, knowledge of child development, level of perceived social support, and level of depression.

Black participants and teenage parents had more punitive attitudes toward child rearing, less knowledge of child development, and less perceived social support than white or older parents. Overall, attitudes, knowledge, level of perceived social support and depression are inter-related in accordance with previous clinical observations and developmental theory, e.g., depressed parents are less knowledgeable, more punitive and have less support than nondepressed parents. The results of the baseline evaluation suggest that the demonstration projects are successful in reaching some subgroups of families at risk for parenting problems.

Keywords

Social Support Child Abuse Child Development Family Support Demonstration Project 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. 1.
    Zigler EF, Weiss HB, Kagan SL:Programs to Strengthen Families: A Resource Guide. New Haven: Yale University, 1984.Google Scholar
  2. 2.
    Shonkoff JP: Social support and the development of vulnerable children.Am J Public Health 74: 310–312, 1984.Google Scholar
  3. 3.
    Cochran MM, Brassard JA: Child development and personal social networks.Child Dev 50: 601–616, 1979.Google Scholar
  4. 4.
    Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. Human Services Data Report: Fiscal Years 1983–1985. State of Illinois.Google Scholar
  5. 5.
    Garbarino J. The human ecology of child maltreatment: A conceptual model for research.J Marr Fam 39: 721–735, 1977.Google Scholar
  6. 6.
    Bronfennbrenner U: Toward and experimental ecology of human development.Am Psych 32: 513–531, 1977.Google Scholar
  7. 7.
    Belsky J: Child maltreatment: An ecological integration.Am Psch 35: 320–335, 1980.Google Scholar
  8. 8.
    Belsky J: The determinants of parenting: A process model.Child Dev 55: 83–96, 1984.Google Scholar
  9. 9.
    Weissman M, Klerman G: Sex differences and the epidemiology of depression.Arch Gen Psychiat 34: 98–111, 1977.Google Scholar
  10. 10.
    Burgess RL, Conger RD: Family interaction in abusive, neglectful, and normal families.Child Dev 49: 1163–1173, 1978.Google Scholar
  11. 11.
    Milner JS, Wimberley RC: An inventory for the identification of child abusers.J Clin Psch 35(1: 95–100, 1979.Google Scholar
  12. 12.
    Wolfe DA: Child-abusive parents: An empirical review and analysis.Psych Bull 97(3: 462–482, 1985.Google Scholar
  13. 13.
    Radloff LS: A self-report depression scale for research in the general population.J Appl Psychol Measure 1: 385–401, 1977.Google Scholar
  14. 14.
    Twentyman CT, Plotkin RC: Unrealistic expectations of parents who maltreat their children: An educational deficit that pertains to child development.J Clin Psych 38: 497–503, 1982.Google Scholar
  15. 15.
    Egeland B: Preliminary results of a prospective study of the antecedents of child abuse.Child Abuse and Neglect 3: 269–278, 1979.Google Scholar
  16. 16.
    Field TM, Widmayer SM, Stringer S, Ingatoff E: Teenage lower-class, black mothers and their preterm infants: An intervention and developmental follow-up.Child Dev 51: 426–436, 1980.Google Scholar
  17. 17.
    Jarrett GE: Childrearing patterns of young mothers: Expectation, knowledge and practices.J Mat Child Nur 49: 119–124, 1982.Google Scholar
  18. 18.
    Abernathy VD: Social network and response to the maternal role:Intl J Soc Fam 3: 86–92, 1973.Google Scholar
  19. 19.
    Pascoe JM, Loda FA, Jeffries V, Earp J: The association between mothers social support and provision of stimulation to their children.Devel Behav Ped 2: 15–19, 1981.Google Scholar
  20. 20.
    Unger DG, Powell DR: Supporting families under stress: The role of social networks.Fam Relations 29: 566–574, 1980.Google Scholar
  21. 21.
    Wilcox B: Social support, life stress, and psychological adjustment: A test of the buffering hypothesis.Am J Comm Psych 9: 371–386, 1981.Google Scholar
  22. 22.
    Rosen AR, Proctor EK: Distinctions between treatment outcomes and their implications for treatment evaluation.J Clin Psych 49: 418–425, 1981.Google Scholar
  23. 23.
    Winer BJ:Statistical Principles in Experimental Design. New York: McGraw Hill, 1962.Google Scholar
  24. 24.
    Cohen J:Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences (revised Ed.). Academic Press, New York, 1977.Google Scholar
  25. 25.
    Olds DL: Improving formal services for mothers and children. In Garbarino J, Stocking SH (Eds).Protecting Children from Abuse and Neglect. San Francisco: Jossey - Bass, 1980.Google Scholar
  26. 26.
    Travers F, Light R:Learning From Experience: Evaluating Early Childhood Demonstration Programs. Washington D.C. National Academy Press, 1982.Google Scholar
  27. 27.
    Colleta NB, Hadler S, Gregg CH: How adolescents cope with the problems of early motherhood.Adoles 16(63: 499–512, 1981.Google Scholar
  28. 28.
    Friedman ZP: Help for the home front. American Way 19(2): 30–32.Google Scholar
  29. 29.
    Gottlieb BH: Social support as a focus for integrative research in psychology.Am Psych 38: 278–287, 1983.Google Scholar
  30. 30.
    Hall LA, Williams CA, Greenberg RS: Supports, stressors, and depressive symptoms in lowincome mothers of young children.Am J Public Health 75(5: 518–522, 1985.Google Scholar
  31. 31.
    Tangerose S, James S: Maternal depression in an urban pediatric practice: Implications for health care delivery.Am J Public Health 74(4:363–365, 1984.Google Scholar
  32. 32.
    Azar ST, Robinson DR, Hekimian E, Twentyman CT: Unrealistic expectations and problem-solving ability in maltreating and comparison mothers.J Con Clin Psych 52(4: 687–691, 1984.Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Human Sciences Press 1986

Authors and Affiliations

  • Janet Reis
    • 1
  • Linda Barbera-Stein
  • Elicia Herz
  • John Orme
  • Susan Bennett
  1. 1.Center for Health Services and Policy ResearchNorthwestern UniversityEvanston

Personalised recommendations