Abstract
We examined the relationship between potential family vulnerability factors (stressor and strains), manifestations of maladaptation (family discord and distress), family strengths (hardiness), and measures of bonadaptation (quality of life) as reported by 188 men and women representing 100 Idaho farm and ranch families. Family strains, and stressors unique to farming and ranching, were positively associated with family discord and distress but negatively associated with hardiness and quality of life. Greater family hardiness as reported by both wives and husbands was positively correlated with their perceptions of family quality of life. The results have implications for mental health professionals and family life educators whose goal is to help farm and ranch families manage stress more effectively, increase hardiness, and enhance their overall quality of life.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Antonovsky, A. (1990). A somewhat personal odyssey in studying the stress process.Stress Medicine, 6, 71–80.
Davis-Brown, K., & Salamon, S. (1988). Farm families in crisis: An application of stress theory to farm family research. In R. Marotz-Baden, C. B. Hennon, & T. H. Brubaker, (Eds.),Families in rural America: Stress, adaptation, and revitalization (pp. 47–55), St. Paul, MN: National Council on Family Relations.
Geller, J. M., Bultena, G., & Lasley, P. (1988). Stress on the farm: A test of the life events perspective among Iowa farm operators.The Journal of Rural Health, 4, 42–57.
Gilliss, C. L. (1983). The family as a unit of analysis: Strategies for the nurse researcher.Advances in Nursing Science, 5, 50–59.
Hill, R. (1949).Families under stress, New York: Harper and Row.
Kaplan, H.B. (1990). Measurement and the stress process: Retrospect and prospect.Stress Medicine, 6, 249–255.
Kerlinger, F.N., & Pedhazur, E.J. (1973).Multiple regression in behavioral research. New York: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston.
Kobasa, S. (1982). The hardy personality: Toward a social psychology of stress and health. In G.S. Saunders & J. Suls (Eds.),Social psychology of health and illness (pp. 3–32). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Kobasa, S., Maddi, S. R., & Kahn, S. (1982). Hardiness and health: A prospective study.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 42, 168–177.
Lazarus, R.S. (1984). Puzzles in the study of daily hassles.Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 7, 375–389.
Marotz-Baden, R. (1988). Stressors: A rural-urban comparison. In R. Marotz-Baden, C. B. Hennon, & T. H. Brubaker (Eds.),Families in rural America: Stress, adaptation, and revitalization (pp. 74–82). St. Paul, MN: National Council on Family Relations.
Marotz-Baden, R., & Colvin, P. L. (1986). Coping strategies: A rural-urban comparison.Family Relations, 35, 281–288.
McCubbin, H., McCubbin, M., & Thompson, A. (1986). Family hardiness index. In H. McCubbin & A. Thompson (Eds.),Family assessment inventories for research and practice (pp. 125–129). Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin, Madison.
McCubbin, H., Patterson, J., & Wilson, L. (1982): FILE: Family inventory of life events and changes. In D. Olson, H. McCubbin, H. Barnes, A. Larsen, M. Muxen & M. Wilson, (Eds.),Family Inventories (pp. 69–89), St. Paul, MN: Family Social Science, University of Minnesota.
McCubbin, H. I., Olson, D. H., Lavee, Y., & Patterson, J. (1985).Family invulnerability test (FIT). Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin, Madison.
McCubbin, H.I., & Patterson, J. M. (1982a). Family adaptation to crisis. In H. I. McCubbin, A. E. Cauble, & J. M. Patterson, (Eds.),Family stress, coping, and social support (pp. 26–47). Springfield, IL: Thomas.
McCubbin, H. I., & Patterson, J. (1982b). Family strains. In H. McCubbin & A. Thompson, (Eds.).Family assessment for research and practice. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin, Madison.
McCubbin, H. I., & Thompson, A. I. (Eds.) (1991).Family assessment inventories for research and practice. 2nd ed. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin, Madison.
McCubbin, M. A. (1990).Development of Family Hardiness Index. Unpublished manuscript.
McCubbin, M. A., & McCubbin, H. I. (In press). Family coping with health crisis: The resiliency model of family stress, adjustment and adaptation. In C. Danielson, B. Hamel-Bissell & P. Winstead-Fry, (Eds.),Families: Health and illness. St Louis: Mosby.
McCubbin, M. A., & McCubbin, H. I. (1989). Theoretical orientations to family stress and coping. In C. R. Figley (Ed.)Treating stress in families (pp. 3–43). New York: Brunner/Mazel.
McCubbin, M. A., & McCubbin, H. I. (1988). Family systems assessment. In: P. Karoly (Ed.),Handbook of child health assessment: Biopsychosocial perspectives (pp227–261). New York: Wiley.
Olson, D. H., & McCubbin, H. (1982). Circumplex model of marital and family systems V: Application to family stress and crisis intervention. In H. I. McCubbin, A. E. Cauble, & J. M. Patterson (Eds.),Family stress, coping and social support (pp. 48–68). Springfield, IL, Charles C. Thomas.
Olson, D. H., McCubbin, H. I., Barnes, H., Larsen, A., Muxen, M., & Wilson, M. (1985).Minnesota family inventories. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota.
Olson, K. R., & Schellenberg, R. P. (1986). Farm stressors.American Journal of Community Psychology, 14, 555–569.
Patterson, J. M., (1988). Families experiencing stress: I. the family adjustment and adaptation model, II. applying the FAAR model to health-related issues for intervention and research.Family Systems Medicine 6(2). 202–237.
Patterson, J. M. (1989). A family stress model: The family adjustment and adaptation response. In C. Ramsey, (Ed.),Family systems in medicine (pp. 95–118), New York: Guilford Press.
Reiss, D. (1981).The family's construction of reality Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Reiss, D., & Klein, D. (1987). Paradigm and pathogenesis: A family-centered approach to problems of etiology and treatment of psychiatric disorders. In T. Jacob, (Ed.),Family interaction and psychopathology: Theories methods, and findings (pp. 203–252), New York: Plenum Press.
Rosenblatt, P., & Anderson, R. (1981). Interaction in farm families: Tension and stress. In R. Coward & W. Smith, Jr. (Eds.),The family in rural society (pp. 147–166). Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Rosenblatt, P., & Keller, L. (1983). Economic vulnerability and economic stress in farm couples.Family Relations, 32, 567–573.
Rowe, G. P., & Lingren, H. G. (1988). Stressors, coping behaviors, and psychosocial strengths of farm/ranch families.Wellness Perspectives, 3, 17–23.
Tabachnick, B.G., & Fidell, L.S. (1983).Using multivariate statistics. New York: Harper & Row.
Thomas, R. B. (1987). Methodological issues and problems in family health care research.Journal of Marriage and the Family, 49, 65–70.
Wagner, B. M. (1990). Major and daily stress and psychopathology: On the adequacy of the definitions and methods.Stress Medicine, 6, 217–226.
Walker, J.L., & Walker, L. J. S. (1988a). Self reported stress symptoms in farmers.Journal of Clinical Psychology, 44(1), 10–16.
Walker, L. S., & Walker, J. L. (1988b). Stressors and symptoms predictive of distress in farmers. In R. Marotz-Baden, C. B. Hennon, & T. H. Brubaker, (Eds.).Families in rural America: Stress, adaptation, and revitalization (pp. 56–63). St. Paul, MN: National Council on Family Relations.
Weigel, R. (1982). Supporting today's farm family: An opportunity for family life educators. In N. Stinnett, J. DeFrain, K. King, H. Lingren, G. Rowe, S. VanZandt & R. Williams, (Eds.),Family strengths 4. Positive support systems (pp. 409–422). Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press.
Weigel, R. R., & Weigel, D. J. (1988). Identifying stressors and coping strategies in two-generation farm families. In R. Marotz-Baden, C. B. Hennon, & T. H. Brubaker, (Eds.),Families in rural America: Stress, adaptation, and revitalization (pp. 216–224), St. Paul, MN: National Council on Family Relations.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Carson, D.K., Araquistain, M., Ide, B. et al. Stress, strain, and hardiness as predictors of adaptation in farm and ranch families. J Child Fam Stud 3, 157–174 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02234065
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02234065