DOCSLIB.ORG

Adult Attachment, Parent Emotion, and Observed Parenting Behavior: Mediator and Moderator Models

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Adult Attachment, Parent Emotion, and Observed Parenting Behavior: Mediator and Moderator Models Child Development, January/February 2004, Volume 75, Number 1, Pages 110 – 122 Adult Attachment, Parent Emotion, and Observed Parenting Behavior: Mediator and Moderator Models Emma K. Adam, Megan R. Gunnar, and Akiko Tanaka In a middle-class sample of mothers of 2-year-olds, adult attachment classifications measured in the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) were related to maternal self-reported emotional well-being and observed parenting behavior, and the potential mediating and moderating roles of maternal emotion were tested. Mothers classified as dismissing on the AAI reported significantly lower levels of positive affectivity. Mothers classified as preoccupied reported significantly higher levels of negative affectivity and anxiety. Preoccupied mothers were observed to be significantly higher on angry/intrusive parenting, but this association was not mediated by attachment-related differences in maternal emotion. Maternal emotional well-being did, however, moderate the associations between adult attachment and parenting behavior: Dismissing attachment was significantly associated with lower warmth/responsiveness only among mothers with higher levels of depressive symptoms. Emotion plays a central role in attachment theory Carlson, 1995), between adult attachment and parent and research. In infants, separation from or loss of a emotional well-being (Pianta, Egeland, & Adam, caregiver are typically associated with feelings of 1996), and between parent emotion and parenting anxiety, sadness, and anger, and the presence of the behavior (Dix, 1991; Lovejoy et al., 2000), yet little caregiver is associated with feelings of security and attention has been paid to the interrelations among joy (Bowlby, 1979). Throughout childhood, adoles- these three sets of variables. In this study, we cence, and even into adulthood, attachment relation- examined whether associations between adult at- ships remain important in the elicitation and tachment and parenting are accounted for or regulation of emotional states (Adam & Gunnar, mediated by attachment-related differences in par- 2001; Kobak, 1999). Emotion also plays an important ent emotional well-being. We also examined whether role in theory and research on parenting. Within- the strength or direction of associations between person changes in parent emotional state motivate adult attachment and parenting behavior are altered changes in parenting behavior (Dix, 1991), and or moderated by differences in parent emotional individual differences in parent emotional well- well-being. being relate to differences in parenting (Field, 1995; Lovejoy, Graczyk, O’Hare, & Neuman, 2000; Teti, Internal Working Models Gelfand, Messinger, & Isabella, 1995). Prior research has shown associations between An internal working model of attachment is an adult attachment and parenting behavior (Cohn, internalized set of expectations about self and others Cowan, Cowan, & Pearson, 1992; Crowell & Feld- thought to derive from one’s history of relationships, man, 1988; Das Eiden, Teti, & Corns, 1995; Ward & and to influence one’s perceptions of, and behavior in, later relationships (Bretherton, 1985; Main, Kaplan, & Cassidy, 1985). Attachment representa- tions in adults are assessed by examining the Emma K. Adam, School of Education and Social Policy, coherency of speech and thought processes about Northwestern University; Megan R. Gunnar, Institute of Child early relationship issues in the Adult Attachment Development, University of Minnesota; Akiko Tanaka, Wilder Research Center, Saint Paul, MN. Interview (AAI; George, Kaplan, & Main, 1985). This research was supported by doctoral and postdoctoral Adults are classified either secure/autonomous (F), research fellowships to the first author from the Social Sciences insecure/dismissing (Ds), or insecure/preoccupied and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Alfred P. (E). They may also be classified unresolved/dis- Sloan Center on Parents, Children and Work at the University of organized (U) with respect to trauma or loss (Main & Chicago. The authors wish to thank Jan Alwin for her help with the observational coding of the parent – child interactions. Goldwyn, 1994). Secure (F) individuals are recog- Correspondence concerning this article should be sent to Emma nized by their characteristic openness in thought and K. Adam, School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University, 2120 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL, 60208. Electronic r 2004 by the Society for Research in Child Development, Inc. mail may be sent to [email protected]. All rights reserved. 0009-3920/2004/7501-0007 Adult Attachment, Emotion, and Parenting 111 speech about early relationships. They clearly value Crowell and Feldman (1988) found that secure relationships and have a balanced viewpoint about mothers showed more warmth and supportiveness, them, including a recognition of their own contribu- and gave more helpful assistance to their children in tions to relationships. Dismissing (Ds) individuals a problem-solving task. Dismissing mothers were are recognized by a lack of memory for childhood less helpful and supportive and had a cool, control- and restricted thinking surrounding issues of attach- ling, task-focused style. Preoccupied mothers were ment. They tend to paint idealistic pictures of their not consistently helpful or supportive, presented parents and childhoods or may dismiss the impor- confusing instructions, and displayed inconsistent tance of attachment entirely, claiming strength, affect, at times warm, at times puzzled or angry. Das normality, and independence. Preoccupied (E) in- Eiden et al. (1995) found that preoccupied mothers dividuals seem confused, unobjective, or preoccu- displayed less sensitivity than secure mothers but pied with past relationships. They may appear found no differences between secure and dismissing passive and vague, fearful and overwhelmed, or mothers. angry and overly analytical, and they often seem Cohn et al. (1992) found secure mothers and unable to see things from another point of view. fathers to be more warm and engaged and to Unresolved (U) individuals show one of the three provide more structure than insecure parents. They primary attachment models, as well as disorganiza- also found (Pearson, Cohn, Cowan, & Cowan, 1994) tion in speech and thought when discussing trau- that secure parents showed more warmth than matic issues such as loss or abuse (Main & Goldwyn, insecure parents regardless of whether they were 1994; Hesse, 1999). earned secure (reported difficult early relationships Adult attachment classifications, even when and were judged secure) or continuous secure assessed before the birth of the infant, predict the (reported positive early relationships and were quality of the infant’s attachment toward the parent judged secure). Ward and Carlson (1995) found at 1 year of age (see van IJzendoorn, 1995, for a secure parents to be more sensitive in their parenting review). This is important because infant attachment than the three insecure groups combined. predicts later developmental outcomes, with secure Adult Attachment and Parent Emotion infants showing more optimal functioning in a variety of domains (Thompson, 1999). Secure (F) Several studies have related adult attachment adults tend to have secure (B) infants, dismissing classifications to parent emotional experience. Most (Ds) adults tend to have avoidant (A) infants, of these have been conducted in clinical or high-risk preoccupied adults tend to have resistant (C) infants, samples, focusing on psychopathology, but several and unresolved (U) adults tend to have disorganized suggest that more subtle associations between adult (D) infants (van IJzendoorn, 1995). Parental behavior, attachment and affective functioning may also be especially sensitive responsiveness, is thought to be present in higher functioning samples. a primary mechanism by which adult and infant In clinical samples, preoccupation has been attachments are related (van den Boom, 1994; van associated with higher levels of self-reported symp- IJzendoorn, 1995). toms in adult patients with serious psychiatric disorders (Dozier, Stevenson, Lee, & Velligan, 1991), and with greater depressive symptoms in Adult Attachment and Parenting psychiatrically distressed adolescents (Cole-Detke & Given its theoretical importance for attachment Kobak, 1996; Rosenstein & Horowitz, 1996). Both theory, it is surprising that there are few studies of preoccupied and unresolved adults were highly the associations between adult attachment and overrepresented among patients with anxiety dis- parenting behavior. It is important not only to orders (Manassis, Bradley, Goldberg, Hood, & demonstrate that adults with insecure adult attach- Swinson, 1994), and unresolved adolescents were ment models display less optimal parenting but also overrepresented in a group of suicidal adolescents that parents with different types of insecure attach- (Adam, Sheldon-Keller, & West; 1996). ment representations (dismissing vs. preoccupied vs. In a low-income community sample, Pianta et al. unresolved) show different types of maladaptive (1996) found that preoccupied mothers reported the parenting. Because of sample size constraints result- highest levels of psychiatric distress, secure mothers ing from the intensive nature of adult attachment reported moderate levels of distress, and dismissing coding and observational coding of parenting, very individuals reported the least distress on the few studies have had the opportunity to
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Attachment in the Classroom
    Educ Psychol Rev (2009) 21:141–170 DOI 10.1007/s10648-009-9104-0 REVIEW ARTICLE Attachment in the Classroom Christi Bergin & David Bergin Published online: 21 May 2009 # Springer Science + Business Media, LLC 2009 Abstract Attachment influences students’ school success. This is true of students’ attachment to their parents, as well as to their teachers. Secure attachment is associated with higher grades and standardized test scores compared to insecure attachment. Secure attachment is also associated with greater emotional regulation, social competence, and willingness to take on challenges, and with lower levels of ADHD and delinquency, each of which in turn is associated with higher achievement. These effects tend to be stronger for high-risk students. In this era of accountability, enhancing teacher–student relationships is not merely an add-on, but rather is fundamental to raising achievement. Understanding the role of attachment in the classroom will help educators be more effective, particularly with challenging students. Twelve suggestions to improve teacher–student relationships and school bonding are provided. Keywords Attachment . Achievement . School bonding . Teacher–student relationship Children’s socioemotional well-being is critical to school success, and attachment is the foundation of socioemotional well-being. Because of this, educators—from preschool to high school—can be more effective if they understand how attachment influences their students. Attachment influences school success through two routes: indirectly through attachment to parents, and directly through attachment to teachers and schools. In this article, we briefly review basic attachment concepts for readers who are not familiar with attachment research. We then show how attachment to parents is linked to school success, and we summarize the limited research on attachment-like relationships with teachers.
    [Show full text]
  • The Benefits of Child-Centered Play Therapy and Filial Therapy for Pre-School-Aged Children with Reactive Attachment Disorder and Their Famiies
    Smith ScholarWorks Theses, Dissertations, and Projects 2014 The benefits of child-centered play therapy and filial therapy for pre-school-aged children with reactive attachment disorder and their famiies Andrea S. White Smith College Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.smith.edu/theses Part of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons Recommended Citation White, Andrea S., "The benefits of child-centered play therapy and filial therapy for pre-school-aged children with reactive attachment disorder and their famiies" (2014). Masters Thesis, Smith College, Northampton, MA. https://scholarworks.smith.edu/theses/846 This Masters Thesis has been accepted for inclusion in Theses, Dissertations, and Projects by an authorized administrator of Smith ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Andrea White The Benefits of Child-Centered Play Therapy and Filial Therapy for Preschool-Aged Children with Reactive Attachment Disorder and Their Families ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate, from a theoretical perspective, the best treatment approach for preschool-aged children with Reactive Attachment Disorder. The challenges and needs of these children can be extensive, and the search for effective treatment is ongoing. Two specific questions of focus were: How are the theories behind Non-Directive Play Therapy/Child-Centered Play Therapy and Filial Therapy useful in conceptualizing the experience of therapy for a child with attachment disorder? And, how could these treatments be used to benefit children with attachment disorders and their families? The research for this paper involved a literature review of peer-reviewed articles on Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) and treatment, original sources describing Attachment Theory, Non-Directive Play Therapy and Filial Therapy, and the DSM-IV-TR and ICD-10.
    [Show full text]
  • Major Principles of Attachment Theory Overview, Hypotheses, and Research Ideas
    CHAPTER 12 Major Principles of Attachment Theory Overview, Hypotheses, and Research Ideas Jeffry A. Simpson W. Steven Rholes Jami Eller Ramona L. Paetzold uring the past five decades, few theories in plains modal (species-typical) attachment pro- Dpsychology have generated as much inter- cesses and patterns of behavior in humans, and est, research, and debate as attachment theory (2) an individual-difference component, which (Bowlby, 1969/1982, 1973, 1980, 1988) and its explains individual deviations from modal recent extensions (see Cassidy & Shaver, 2016). processes and behavioral patterns. Most of the Attachment theory is an extensive, inclusive major principles and hypotheses we discuss in theory of personality and social development this chapter are normative ones, but we also “from the cradle to the grave” (Bowlby, 1979, highlight principles associated with well-estab- p. 129). Being a lifespan theory, it is relevant to lished individual differences in attachment pat- several areas in psychology, including develop- terns (in children) and attachment orientations mental, personality, social, cognitive, neurosci- (in adults), including how they are related to a ence, and clinical. host of personal and relational processes and Because attachment theory covers the entire outcomes. life course, it has several fundamental prin- We began our work on this chapter by sur- ciples and core hypotheses, most of which ad- veying the theoretical and empirical literature dress how and why people think, feel, and be- on attachment processes across the lifespan and have in particular ways within relationships at generated an initial list of potential principles different points of their lives. Given the focus and hypotheses.
    [Show full text]
  • Attachment Theory and Research: Overview with Suggested Applications to Child Custody
    INVITED MONOGRAPH ATTACHMENT THEORY AND RESEARCH: OVERVIEW WITH SUGGESTED APPLICATIONS TO CHILD CUSTODY Mary Main, Erik Hesse, and Siegfried Hesse* The term “attachment” is now in common usage and, as the readers of this Special Issue are aware, is referenced in a rapidly increasing variety of contexts involving child custody (McIntosh & Chisholm, 2008). The aim of this article is to provide judges, lawyers, mediators and mental health professionals involved in custody assessment with an overview of the history of the field of attachment and its principal measures, together with a clear description of what the term “attachment” does—and does not—mean to attachment researchers and theoreticians. Implications for normative separations that do not involve custody- related assessment or the intervention of courts or mediators are also considered. With respect to contested custody cases, we consider the use of standardized attachment measures, and note that sufficient validation for most such measures in clinical contexts is still developing. We describe three measures taken from the research literature (the Strange Situation procedure, the Attachment Q-sort and theAdultAttachment Interview), each subjected to meta-analyses and widely regarded as “gold standard” methods in research.These three methods come closest at this point in time to meeting criteria for providing “scientific evidence” regarding an individual’s current attachment status. Limitations on widespread use include the need for substantiating meta-analyses on father-child relationships, and further validation across a wider spread of children’s ages. We are confident that these restrictions can be solved by new research. In the interim, we argue that increased familiarity with the above measures will assist custody evaluators both in standardizing their assessment procedures and their capacity to gain more from the observational data available to them.
    [Show full text]
  • Toward a Deeper Understanding of Adoption Family Structure: Concepts Borrowed from Social Justice, Attachment Theory, and Relational Dialectics Thomas C
    Article 77 Toward a Deeper Understanding of Adoption Family Structure: Concepts Borrowed From Social Justice, Attachment Theory, and Relational Dialectics Thomas C. Harrison and Terianne F. Harrison Harrison, Thomas C., is a professor of Counseling and Educational Psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno. He is the former Associate Dean of the College of Education and Director of the Downing Counseling Clinic. Dr. Harrison’s current research efforts are focused on social justice and dialectical thought. Harrison, Terianne F., is a doctoral student in Counseling and Educational Psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno. She has a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Nevada, Reno and is in private practice. Her dissertation and clinical practice focus on adoption and adoptee identity development. Abstract Adoption and adoption family issues are not a regular part of most counselor preparation programs and, as such, mental health professionals do not have adequate training in adoption and adoption issues. The studies on adoption often reflect a lack of birth family participants and are focused instead on the adoptee and the adopted family. This paper provides a conceptualization of the adoption family system that integrates four perspectives: social justice, attachment theory—specifically object relations, the adoption triad (i.e., adoptee, all members of the adopted family, and all members of the birth family), and relational dialectics. These four dimensions comprise a fundamental conceptualization that mental health practitioners can use to help design treatments for adoptees and their families. Keywords: adoption, adoption triad, attachment theory and adoption, relational dialectics According to the United States Census Bureau (2010), between 2–4% of the American population is adopted, and this is an underestimation because only the adopted children in the home were counted.
    [Show full text]
  • Supporting Healthy Relationships Between Young Children
    Supporting Healthy Relationships Between Young Children and Their Parents Bridging the gap between research and public policy to improve the lives of children and families Lessons from Attachment Theory and Research Spring 2007 Karen Appleyard, Ph.D., MSW Lisa J. Berlin, Ph.D. ABOUT THE AUTHORS t a child care center, 18-month-old Karen Appleyard, Ph.D., MSW, is a research scientist at the Center for Child Hannah is clinging to her mother and Family Policy at Duke University and and crying as they enter. Her mother postdoctoral fellow at the University of A pulls Hannah’s hands from her arm, saying, North Carolina’s Center for Developmental “Don’t be such a crybaby and go play.” In Science. Her research and clinical interests are in the correlates and consequences of a pediatrician’s waiting room, two-year- parenting, developmental processes under- old Carlos climbs dangerously high on the lying adaptation to adversity, and furniture. He throws a toy at his mother empirically-based interventions relating to trauma and attachment. when she calls his name. His mother laughs nervously and says quietly, “I don’t know Contact: [email protected] what to do with him.” In a family’s kitchen, Lisa Berlin, Ph.D., is a research scientist at one-year-old Keisha yanks on a locked kitchen the Center for Child and Family Policy at cabinet while her father is cooking. Her father kneels next to Keisha and Duke University. Her work focuses on early says, “Oh - I see you are trying to get into this cabinet, but these glass child development, child poverty, child pans are for me.
    [Show full text]
  • Bowlby & Attachment Theory
    Chapter 9 The Legacy of John Bowlby’s Attachment Theory Jools Page Introduction This chapter discusses the contribution of John Bowlby’s more than 50 years of thinking about attachments, separation, relationships and emotional stability. After a brief biography, the chapter considers his well-known, and sometimes controversial, ‘Attachment theory’ alongside the work of his collaborators at the time, including James Robertson and Mary Ainsworth. A key focus is attachment theory in relation to children in their home and early years environments, and how understanding this theory is important for early years practitioners to appreciate the lived experiences of children in out of home contexts. The chapter concludes with a consideration of the place of love and loving relationships in contemporary professional practice and the implications of ‘Modern Attachment Theory’ for early years and childcare practitioners working globally. John Bowlby [1907-1990]: A brief biography Bowlby (1907–1990) was the son of Sir Anthony Bowlby, a London surgeon. After serving briefly as a naval cadet, he read natural sciences and psychology at the University of Cambridge. Bowlby worked for a time in a school for boys with psychiatric problems, then trained as a doctor and child psychiatrist, working during the Second World War World as a psychiatrist for the War Office Selection Board. After the war, Bowlby was Deputy Director of the Tavistock Clinic in London, a world-renowned centre for child psychiatry and psychotherapy (For further detail see King & Rayner 1993). It was soon after he graduated from Cambridge in 1928 that Bowlby began to study separation and anxiety, building on observations of two young boys in a remedial home where he was working (Bretherton 1992; and Cassidy, 2008).
    [Show full text]
  • Parenting, Attachment Theory, and God
    Digital Collections @ Dordt Faculty Work Comprehensive List 5-24-2018 Parenting, Attachment Theory, and God Erin Olson Dordt College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcollections.dordt.edu/faculty_work Part of the Christianity Commons, and the Family, Life Course, and Society Commons Recommended Citation Olson, E. (2018). Parenting, Attachment Theory, and God. Retrieved from https://digitalcollections.dordt.edu/faculty_work/916 This Blog Post is brought to you for free and open access by Digital Collections @ Dordt. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Work Comprehensive List by an authorized administrator of Digital Collections @ Dordt. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Parenting, Attachment Theory, and God Abstract "Have you ever stopped to consider how experiences in your childhood may have impacted your perceptions of God?" Posting about the importance of the parent-child relationship from In All Things - an online journal for critical reflection on faith, culture, art, and every ordinary-yet-graced square inch of God’s creation. https://inallthings.org/parenting-attachment-theory-and-god/ Keywords In All Things, parenting, attachment behavior, avoidant personality, God Disciplines Christianity | Family, Life Course, and Society Comments In All Things is a publication of the Andreas Center for Reformed Scholarship and Service at Dordt College. This blog post is available at Digital Collections @ Dordt: https://digitalcollections.dordt.edu/faculty_work/916
    [Show full text]
  • B. F. Skinner: a Fresh Appraisal Discussion Topics with Murray Sidman, Ph.D
    Davidson Films B. F. Skinner: A Fresh Appraisal Discussion Topics with Murray Sidman, Ph.D. 1. Skinner’s first statement in this video, “Nature to be commanded must be obeyed,” was a favorite quote from Francis Bacon. Skinner first explored Bacon’s work as the result of a favorite high school English teacher suggesting that perhaps Bacon wrote the Shakespeare plays. Throughout his life, one of Skinner’s most appealing personality characteristics was his great curiosity. He explored nature, literature, music, and art. Reading through Verbal Behavior gives one a sense of the range of his interests. 2. Skinner’s work raised much controversy. It would be useful for current students to hear of your experience as a student in learning about Skinner and whether you were introduced to his work by his supporters or his opponents. What in his work attracted or repelled you? 3. Compare the reactions of the public to his work and to Freud’s. Both reached out to the general public in ways that other psychologists did not. Freud tended to answer critics directly, whereas Skinner did not, some say at his own expense. (Noam Chomsky’s scathing review of Verbal Behavior was never answered.) Why do you think his work was so revered and reviled? 4. Piaget wrote a book published in 1976 entitled Behavior and Evolution. He too believed that his work extended that of Darwin. Skinner and Piaget rather studiously avoided each other’s work, though they do have many parallels. Discuss the basic similarities and differences. 5. Skinner has been often been criticized for jumping from his animal lab work (his graduate school research was with rats; subsequently, he ran pigeon labs) to human concerns.
    [Show full text]
  • Therapy Methods
    Therapy Methods My approach when working with children and families is dependent on assessment data, presenting issues, best practice standards (i.e., modalities informed by research), and the training I have received. Below are the methods of treatment you can expect from me. Parent Education, Support & Training When my kids become wild and unruly, I use a nice, safe playpen. When they’re finished, I climb out. ~Erma Bombeck Few, if any, experiences in life are more important to most of us than raising healthy, well-adjusted children. Parenting brings joy and meaning to our lives but can also be challenging and exhausting. This is especially true when par- enting children with special needs or children who are experiencing difficult life circumstances. I generally spend ample time educating parents about their child’s disorder or the circumstances causing their child’s distress. When parents have a thorough understanding of how these factors impact the psychological functioning of their child, they are better able to understand why their child is displaying emotional or behavioral problems. This knowledge empowers parents and better equips them to successfully help their child. I also find value in helping parents reflect on their parenting style, attachment style, and their own families of origin. Forty years of research has linked specific aspects of parenting style to several key outcome areas in child development. For example, traits of high parental warmth, responsiveness and sensitivity balanced with maintaining reasonable expectations of children is linked with children who understand and regulate their emotions well, display healthy self-esteem, and show greater social-emotional competence (e.g., the ability to get along well with others, negotiate social conflicts, manage their emotions).
    [Show full text]
  • How Play Therapists Integrate Knowledge of Attachment Theory Into Clinical Practice: a Grounded Theory
    University of New Orleans ScholarWorks@UNO University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations Dissertations and Theses Spring 5-15-2015 How Play Therapists Integrate Knowledge of Attachment Theory Into Clinical Practice: A Grounded Theory Karen Marie Swanson Taheri University of New Orleans, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td Part of the Counselor Education Commons Recommended Citation Taheri, Karen Marie Swanson, "How Play Therapists Integrate Knowledge of Attachment Theory Into Clinical Practice: A Grounded Theory" (2015). University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations. 2001. https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/2001 This Dissertation-Restricted is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by ScholarWorks@UNO with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Dissertation-Restricted in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/or on the work itself. This Dissertation-Restricted has been accepted for inclusion in University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UNO. For more information, please contact [email protected]. How Play Therapists Integrate Knowledge of Attachment Theory Into Clinical Practice: A Grounded Theory A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the University of New Orleans in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education By Karen Swanson Taheri B.J., University of Texas at Austin, 2006 M.A., University of Texas at San Antonio, 2009 March 2015 Copyright, 2015 Karen Taheri ii Acknowledgements To Kevin, thank you for your consistent love, friendship, and support.
    [Show full text]
  • Nature Versus Nurture 1
    Running head: NATURE VERSUS NURTURE 1 Nature versus Nurture: A Study of Adopted and Biological Children and their Behavioral Patterns Courtney Janaye Grenke A Senior Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for graduation in the Honors Program Liberty University Spring 2012 NATURE VERSUS NURTURE 2 Acceptance of Senior Honors Thesis This Senior Honors Thesis is accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for graduation from the Honors Program of Liberty University. ______________________________ Cynthia Goodrich, Ed.D, MSN, RN Thesis Chair ______________________________ Mrs. Emilee Harker, RN, MSN Committee Member ______________________________ Daniel Howell, Ph.D. Committee Member ______________________________ Marilyn Gadomski, Ph.D. Assistant Honors Director ______________________________ Date NATURE VERSUS NURTURE 3 Abstract Nurses encounter many different populations of people every day and they must know how to treat them. Adopted children are a population that nurses encounter and there are disagreements concerning whether they are at an increased risk for developing behavioral problems as compared to biological children. It is also debated whether genetics or environment plays a more prominent role in childhood development. Most studies conclude that adopted children are at an increased risk for more behavioral problems due to the unique struggles and challenges they must overcome with genetics playing a bigger role than environment. Nurses can use this information to treat adopted children and their families more efficiently. NATURE VERSUS NURTURE 4 Nature versus Nurture: A Study of Adopted and Biological Children and their Behavioral Patterns Individuals are constantly trying to figure out what factors influence a person and their behavior. They wonder whether genes influence people, or whether it is more the environment and the way people are raised.
    [Show full text]