Question We Can Help You To Answer

Paper Instructions:

What type of Existentialism does Jean-Paul Sartre present? What is his definition of it?

Questions We Can Help You To Answer

Paper Instructions:

QUIZ – DISSECTING RESEARCH ARTICLES

In the unit, you have been working on further developing your research skills through the following activities:
•    Reviewing the Dissecting Research Articles handout.
•    Completing the Dissecting a Quantitative Article assignment.
•    Completing the Dissecting a Qualitative Article assignment.
This quiz provides an opportunity for you to test yourself on the following course competencies:
•    Problem: Assess research problems and questions in scholarly articles.
•    Literature: Evaluate the credibility of scholarly articles.
•    Approach and Methodology: Articulate basic scientific method and research approaches.
•    Analysis and conclusion: Analyze the various methodologies used by scholars to answer research questions in the literature.
•    Ethics: Articulate the role of ethics and academic integrity in academic interactions and in scientific research.




Quiz Directions  :17 questions.

(I attached a copy of the quiz, in tilted unit1 quiz)
Read the following instructions before taking the quiz:
There are 100 total points possible and 17 questions.

(Number your answers, you only need to put the letter for your answer)  
(Example of what your paper should look)
Quiz Questions:
1.a
2. b
3. c 
Etc. 

Questions We Can Help You To Answer

Paper Instructions:

Question: Incidence Reduction Model of Prevention

Using the information provided in the assigned article on bullying by Donnon, generate an Incidence Reduction Formula for Problem Identification in Prevention Program Development and Evaluation, adapted from Albee by Conyne (on page 56 of the Conyne text). See also a more detailed version in the appendix on page 178 of the Conyne text.

Discuss the essential factors (deficits and strengths) of the model in this case example. Based on the information you have gathered, what type of intervention/prevention program would you envision?

( I attached all readings, I attached a copy of examples of the answer please do not copy from the examples) You must use at least 2 references from the readings to support your answer 


unit reading: Basing Programs On Need And Criteria

graduates are working in many different types of organizations and community-based services. As a current or future leader in your community, state, or nation, you may be spearheading the type of community needs assessment carried out by the Salvation Army as described by Eschenfelder (2010) in the Journal of Health & Human Services Administration. Calley (2011) places establishing the need for programming as the first step in the comprehensive program planning process, and refers to "data-based decision making" (p. 35). You may be surprised by the different types of needs assessments and the detailed processes for carrying them out! In this unit, you will have an opportunity to flesh out one of these types of assessment. If you plan to be a leader in your community, the textbooks for this course should be among those you keep on your shelf! Calley (2011) and Conyne (2010) provide the highest level of Evidence Based Practice in Program Development and Evaluation!

Fortunately, many practitioners are involved in practical evaluation and have been willing to take the time to publish their results, to the benefit of all who are involved in program development and evaluation. Austin, McClelland, Perrault, and Sieppert (2009) describe the evolution of the Elder-friendly Communities Program, while Donnon (2010) outlines research that could contribute to the research base for developing a bullying intervention and prevention program. Hopefully you have printed out the Framework for Program Development and Evaluation (Comeau, 2011). Place it beside you as you read Austin, et al's description of their work. How many of the elements do you recognize?

In this unit, you will also look at Conyne's (2010) perspective on needs assessment and his adaptation of Albee's Incidence Reduction Model. You will apply the data from Donnon's research to generate an Incidence Reduction Formula for Problem Identification in Prevention Program Development and Evaluation. Again referring to the comprehensive nature of program development and evaluation depicted by Calley (2011), Conyne (2010), and Comeau (2011), Conyne states, "an incidence reduction, collaborative, participative, culturally relevant approach to program development and evaluation is best suited to prevention" (p. 72)

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Paper Instructions:

PART1: 
Theoretical Implications

Question: Describe any theoretical implications that the proposed study may have for understanding phenomena. For example, will the study generate new theory, provide a description of the lived experience of the participants or provide a description of a cultural phenomena?


• Use at least 4 current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements. (websites will not count as a  resources) Use journal articles within 5-7 years  
• Use APA style in citing all resources.
Two full pages not including reference page 


reading: 
what is theoretical implications in research
In a research perspective, the job of a theory is to provide interesting and perhaps promising areas to work on. So one aspect of a theoretical implication is a (newly found) additions to existing theories, or, building material for new theories. Outside this, implication just means some consequence or effect.

What does the implications of the research mean?
: a possible future effect or result. : something that is suggested without being said directly : something that is implied. : the fact or state of being involved in or connected to something (such as a crime) : the fact or state of being implicated in something.


What is an example of an implication?
im•pli•ca•tion. Use implication in a sentence. noun. The definition of implication is something that is inferred. An example of implication is the policeman connecting a person to a crime even though there is no evidence.



PART2: 
Research Design

Describe the qualitative design (for example grounded theory) and research model (for example Strauss and Corbin or Charmaz – constructivist grounded theory) you propose to use, supported and referenced by primary sources. Describe in detail the method(s) will you use to collect the data, such as: structured, unstructured, and semi-structured interviews, journaling, letters, pictures, observations, field notes, focus groups. Describe the philosophy underlying the methodology and model. 

Briefly describe how the study will be conducted.  (Describe how you are going to carry out the study.)

    The Research Design should be clearly identified.
    The Research Design should be appropriate to the Research Question.


*Use 4 primary sources (within 5-7 years)  as resources to support statements.. (websites will not count as a  resources) Use journal articles within 5-7 years 
• Use APA style in citing all resources.

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Paper instructions:

Part ONe:    Project Topic Selection and Rationale
Select a sample population within a family by gender or by age—for example, fathers, mothers, infants, toddlers, children in the elementary school age, children in the middle school age, or adolescents. Be specific in defining the family population group by age, gender, and cultural group. (The cultural group may be defined broadly.)
Then, select a specific problem, stressor, or developmental issue your selected family population group experiences. This will be the focus of the research literature you will critically analyze for your course project.





The course project:

is an opportunity to demonstrate doctoral level critical thinking, analysis, and synthesis of ideas. You will objectively evaluate and apply the findings of your research materials and the readings from the course to this project. You should write the paper in a scholarly, professional manner, as this will provide practice for both comprehensive exams and the dissertation process. Organize your paper into the following sections:

•    Project Topic:Select a sample population within a family by gender or by age—for example, fathers, mothers, infants, toddlers, children in the elementary school age, children in the middle school age, or adolescents. Be specific in defining the family population group by age, gender, and cultural group. (Cultural group may be defined broadly). Then, select a specific problem, stressor, or developmental issue that your selected family population group experiences. This will be the focus of the research literature you will critically analyze. Support the relevancy of your selections with current research. This will become the introduction to your final paper, so it should be written in a scholarly tone.
•    Scholarly Review and Critical Analysis: Examine the scholarly research relevant to the population and issue you have selected, using the Research Log to organize your information before you begin writing your paper. Prepare a review of the literature, synthesizing the research to present a thorough picture of what is known about the chosen issue experienced by your chosen population. Be sure to address the interaction between the family system and the individual, as well as broader social, economic, cultural, and political forces impacting your chosen population and the phenomena you are exploring. Note: This project is designed to simulate the type of literature review work done in doctoral dissertations; be sure to use headings to guide the reader.
•    Theoretical Foundations: Include in your critical analysis a discussion of the theoretical foundations utilized in the research studies you have gathered. Compare and contrast these theories or models in terms of how effective they are in guiding the research and explaining the phenomena you are exploring.
•    Practical Application: In your critical analysis, include research on non-clinical prevention, education, and advocacy programs and approaches related to working with this population around your chosen issue. (Some of your sources may also be clinical in nature, but the non-clinical will be an important part of your critical analysis of the research).
•    Ethical Considerations: Discuss ethical considerations related to both the conduct of research and development of prevention or advocacy services for your chosen issue experienced by your selected population. Address any personal biases you, as a researcher or practitioner, might have, if you were doing research related to this population and topic.
•    Scholarly Research Critique and Research Recommendations: Evaluate methodological approaches in the studies you have gathered regarding the population and phenomena you are investigating. What do you see as strengths and weaknesses of the research methodology and research designs in the studies you used to inform and support your critical analysis? What do authors report as limitations of their research? Review and discuss the recommendations made for future research and make additional recommendations for future research to expand upon or develop new theories or models for understanding the phenomena you are investigating. Also, review and discuss any recommendations regarding approaches to working with families from a prevention, psycho-educational, or advocacy perspective, adding additional recommendations of your own for working with or on behalf of families, based on your critical analysis.





Project Objectives
To successfully complete this project, you will be expected to:
7.    Critically analyze the research on a specific population experiencing a specific problem, stressor, or developmental issue.
8.    Critically analyze the research on working with families from a prevention, psycho-educational, or advocacy perspective.
9.    Compare and contrast the effectiveness of various family theories or models relevant to the study of families.
10.    Identify ethical issues in working with family populations in research and non-clinical practice.
11.    Evaluate methodological approaches to research on family populations and issues.
12.    Make recommendations for future research to expand upon or develop family research and theory.
13.    Demonstrate scholarly written communication skills and proper use of APA style and formatting, using language, mechanics, paragraph development, and manuscript organization that reflect a scholarly tone and ideas that are generally logical and succinct.

Questions We Can Help You To Answer

Paper instructions:

Question: Corporal Punishment

There are thousands of Web sites and self-help parenting books with differing ideas about corporal punishment and hitting, striking, or spanking. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) states that the AAP "strongly opposes striking a child for any reason. If a spanking is spontaneous, parents should later explain calmly why they did it, the specific behavior that provoked it, and how angry they felt. They also might apologize to their child for their loss of control. This usually helps the youngster to understand and accept the spanking, and it models for the child how to remediate a wrong" (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2012).
What are social and cultural issues that impact how parents view corporal punishment, and how they might respond to the AAP's stance on striking a child? What outcomes have been associated with parental use of corporal punishment? From a non-clinical, prevention perspective, what approaches have been identified as best practices for reducing corporal punishment?

(you must use at least two references from the reading to support your answer)

unit reading:
Parenthood and Parenting
INTRODUCTION

The Journal of Family Theory and Review is an excellent journal for seeking out theoretical perspectives related to family research. It is a fairly recent addition to the peer-reviewed journals of the National Council on Family Relations. (The other two are Journal of Marriage and the Family and Family Relations). Kluwer's 2010 article, published in this journal, discusses the impact of the transition to parenthood on marriage.

Chapter 10 of your text reviews the sociological demography of parenthood, its value, young and unwed parenthood, birthrates, family size, birth order, et cetera. In Chapter 11, the authors focus more specifically on parent-child interaction, socialization, and gender-role differences. The sociological perspective emphasizes the differences in parenting goals, and the effectiveness of parenting methods and styles across and within segments of the U.S. population. Parent-child attachment theory is discussed and, although the authors do not mention the work of Ainsworth and Bowlby (1965) on attachment theory, or Thomas, Chess, and Birch (1968) on temperament; social scientists should know of their pioneering work (see references to some of their seminal work below) as well as the work of Baumrind (1966) on parenting styles (which is mentioned).
The text also offers a brief overview of single parenting, looking at both single mothers and single fathers, but does not address gay parenting. Doherty and Craft (2011) use symbolic interaction and family systems theory to explore the issue of how children being raised by single mothers can develop male-positive attitudes, using psychoeducational messages. Berkowitz (2009) theorizes about lesbian and gay parenting in his article in the Journal of Family Theory & Review, emphasizing the importance of research and scholarship in this area.
In the first decades of the twenty-first century, the political divide in the United States has frequently brought to the forefront issues related to the family, including gay parenting and adoption and single parenting (with an emphasis on single mothering), as well as broader issues, such as contraception. This only serves to further highlight the essential nature of the creation of new knowledge about family issues through empirical research and the interpretation of that research by social science scholars, such as those in this program in Advanced Studies in Human Behavior! Critical analysis of the scholarly research literature is an essential skill, and thus is the focus of your course project. The legacy of Dr. Urie Bronfenbrenner is one that you can carry with you into your work with or on behalf of children, youth, and families: "Every child needs at least one adult who is irrationally crazy about him or her" (Brendtro, 2006).

References
Ainsworth, M., & Bowlby, J. (1965). Child care and the growth of love. London, UK: Penguin Books.
Ainsworth, M., Blehar, M. C., Waters, E., & Wall, S. (1978). Patterns of attachment: A psychological study of the strange situation. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Baumrind, D. (1966). Effects of authoritative parental control in child behavior. Child Development, 37, 887–907.
Berkowitz, D. (2009). Theorizing lesbian and gay parenting: Past, present, and future scholarship. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 1(3), 117–132.
Brendtro, L. K. (2006). The vision of Urie Bronfenbrenner: Adults who are crazy about kids. Reclaiming Children & Youth, 15(3), 162–166.
Doherty, W. J., & Craft, S. M. (2011). Single mothers raising children with 'male-positive' attitudes. Family Process, 50(1), 63–76.
Eshleman, J. R., & Bulcroft, R. A. (2010). The family (12th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Kluwer, E. S. (2010). From partnership to parenthood: A review of marital change across the transition to parenthood. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 2(3), 105–125.
Thomas, A., Chess, S., & Birch, H. G. (1968). Temperament and behavior disorders in children. New York, NY: New York University Press.

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Paper instructions:

Question: Aging Families
Researchers typically discuss their research and offer recommendations for future research, but often do not collaborate with practitioners to fully discuss the implications for working with the population. While the Jordan and Cory article in this unit's optional readings focuses extensively on application, the two assigned articles are more typical of articles presenting empirical research.

Review the assigned articles, "Grandmother Caregiving, Family Stress and Strain, and Depressive Symptoms" and "Dual-Earner Couples in the Sandwiched Generation: Effects of Coping Strategies Over Time," and critique the discussion section of each article. Do the authors draw out implications that might be of use to direct practitioners concerned with prevention and advocacy work? Do they speculate too much, or overreach their data? Do their recommendations reflect awareness of the work of the practitioner? Which article do you believe offers the most helpful information from a practitioner's point of view?

(I attached a copy of both video Transcripts)

(You must use at least two references fro the readings to support your answer)


unit reading: Aging Families and Grandparenting
INTRODUCTION
According to the World Bank, the population of people 65 and older has grown as a percentage of the U.S. population from 9.15 percent in 1960 to 14.8 percent in 2015 (World Bank, 2015). With medical advances increasing life expectancy, what does this mean for families and society in general? What kind of challenges or opportunities might this trend present?

The elderly population can be further categorized into different groups: the young-old, defined as 65–74 years of age; the middle-old, which is 75–84 years of age; and the oldest-old, referring to those who are 85 years and older (Schwartz & Scott, 2010). These periods have changed considerably, with many assumptions no longer holding true; for example, the middle years (age 40 to retirement) and even the young-old years (65–74) are no longer automatically assumed to be the post-parental period, with many couples delaying parenthood until after their careers are established. Nor can we say that the middle years or aging years are always an empty nest period, with more adult children returning home for a period of time post-divorce or unemployment or other financial crisis; for example, losing a home (Jordan & Cory, 2010).

Divorce among the baby boomer generation is also impacting the elder years. About a third of adults aged 46–64 years were divorced, separated, or had never been married in 2010, compared with 13 percent in 1970 (Lin & Brown, 2012). Susan L. Brown, co-director of the National Center for Family and Marriage Research at Bowling Green State, says this would transform the lives of many older people. "The elderly, who have traditionally relied on spouses for their care, will increasingly struggle to fend for themselves. And federal and local governments will have to shoulder much of the cost of their care. Unmarried baby boomers are five times more likely to live in poverty than their married counterparts, statistics show. They are also three times as likely to receive food stamps, public assistance or disability payments" (Lin & Brown, 2012).

Grandparenthood for many older people is a joy and serves as a symbol of individual and intergenerational connectedness (Ashford, LeCroy & Lortie, 2010). Grandparents are often perceived as providers of emotional gratification and nurturance to their grandchildren. The grandparenting role in the later years is now as varied as families are, with step-grandparenting and grandparents raising grandchildren as two growing forms. This has even become a concern of the American Association of Retired People (AARP). Grandparents typically are called upon to take over parental responsibilities because of some crisis event involving the natural parents; grandparents are called in to provide emotional or material support. These crisis events can include drug use among parents, teen pregnancy, divorce, AIDS, and abuse (Eshleman & Bulcroft, 2010).

The issues for traditional grandparents have some similarities but even among this group, with divorces, stepfamily formation, relationships issues with in-laws and relationships with grandchildren may be jeopardized. And there are many differences in the needs and issues of grandparents raising grandchildren. Grandparents' rights are a key family policy issue that impacts not only the children and grandparents, but also the systems that serve them, such as the schools, insurance coverage, and medical care issues (Musil, Warner, Zauszniewski, Wykle & Standing, 2009; Eshleman & Bulcroft, 2010).

In this unit, you will see how family relationships are affected by increased life expectancies of people in late adulthood and the changing psychosocial demographics of our diverse society. Unique psychosocial stressors such as retirement, bereavement, transitions of social roles, and changes of financial status inevitably affect family dynamics and how each family responds to these dynamic forces.

References
American Association of Retired People. (n.d.). Friends & family. Retrieved from http://www.aarp.org/relationships/friends-family

Ashford, J. B., LeCroy, C. W., & Lortie, K. L. (2010). Human behavior in the social environment: A multidimensional perspective (4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.

Eshleman, J. R., & Bulcroft, R. A. (2010). The family (12th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Jordan, C., & Cory, D. (2010). Boomers, boomerangs, and bedpans. National Social Science Journal, 34(1), 79–84.

Lin, I., & Brown, S. J. (2012). Unmarried boomers confront old age: A national portrait. The Gerontologist, 0(0), 1–13. Retrieved from http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/322105-baby-boomers-confront-old-age.html

Musil, C., Warner, C., Zauszniewski, J., Wykle, M., & Standing, T. (2009). Grandmother caregiving, family stress and strain, and depressive symptoms. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 31(3), 389–408.

Neal, M. B., & Hammer, L. B. (2009). Dual-earner couples in the sandwiched generation: Effects of coping strategies over time. Psychologist-Manager Journal, 12(4), 205–234.

Schwartz, M. A., & Scott, B. M. (2010). Marriages and families: Diversity and change (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

World Bank. (2015). Population ages 65 and above (% of total). Retrieved from http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.65UP.TO.ZS?locations=US 

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Paper instructions:

Question: Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
From social support and ecological perspectives, what are the factors within each level of the Bronfenbrenner ecological model that impact the economic, social, and emotional wellbeing of grandparents raising grandchildren? What are your top two recommendations for supporting these grandparents?


(I attached a copy of both video Transcripts)

(You must use at least two references fro the readings to support your answer)


unit reading: Aging Families and Grandparenting
INTRODUCTION
According to the World Bank, the population of people 65 and older has grown as a percentage of the U.S. population from 9.15 percent in 1960 to 14.8 percent in 2015 (World Bank, 2015). With medical advances increasing life expectancy, what does this mean for families and society in general? What kind of challenges or opportunities might this trend present?

The elderly population can be further categorized into different groups: the young-old, defined as 65–74 years of age; the middle-old, which is 75–84 years of age; and the oldest-old, referring to those who are 85 years and older (Schwartz & Scott, 2010). These periods have changed considerably, with many assumptions no longer holding true; for example, the middle years (age 40 to retirement) and even the young-old years (65–74) are no longer automatically assumed to be the post-parental period, with many couples delaying parenthood until after their careers are established. Nor can we say that the middle years or aging years are always an empty nest period, with more adult children returning home for a period of time post-divorce or unemployment or other financial crisis; for example, losing a home (Jordan & Cory, 2010).

Divorce among the baby boomer generation is also impacting the elder years. About a third of adults aged 46–64 years were divorced, separated, or had never been married in 2010, compared with 13 percent in 1970 (Lin & Brown, 2012). Susan L. Brown, co-director of the National Center for Family and Marriage Research at Bowling Green State, says this would transform the lives of many older people. "The elderly, who have traditionally relied on spouses for their care, will increasingly struggle to fend for themselves. And federal and local governments will have to shoulder much of the cost of their care. Unmarried baby boomers are five times more likely to live in poverty than their married counterparts, statistics show. They are also three times as likely to receive food stamps, public assistance or disability payments" (Lin & Brown, 2012).

Grandparenthood for many older people is a joy and serves as a symbol of individual and intergenerational connectedness (Ashford, LeCroy & Lortie, 2010). Grandparents are often perceived as providers of emotional gratification and nurturance to their grandchildren. The grandparenting role in the later years is now as varied as families are, with step-grandparenting and grandparents raising grandchildren as two growing forms. This has even become a concern of the American Association of Retired People (AARP). Grandparents typically are called upon to take over parental responsibilities because of some crisis event involving the natural parents; grandparents are called in to provide emotional or material support. These crisis events can include drug use among parents, teen pregnancy, divorce, AIDS, and abuse (Eshleman & Bulcroft, 2010).

The issues for traditional grandparents have some similarities but even among this group, with divorces, stepfamily formation, relationships issues with in-laws and relationships with grandchildren may be jeopardized. And there are many differences in the needs and issues of grandparents raising grandchildren. Grandparents' rights are a key family policy issue that impacts not only the children and grandparents, but also the systems that serve them, such as the schools, insurance coverage, and medical care issues (Musil, Warner, Zauszniewski, Wykle & Standing, 2009; Eshleman & Bulcroft, 2010).

In this unit, you will see how family relationships are affected by increased life expectancies of people in late adulthood and the changing psychosocial demographics of our diverse society. Unique psychosocial stressors such as retirement, bereavement, transitions of social roles, and changes of financial status inevitably affect family dynamics and how each family responds to these dynamic forces.

References
American Association of Retired People. (n.d.). Friends & family. Retrieved from http://www.aarp.org/relationships/friends-family

Ashford, J. B., LeCroy, C. W., & Lortie, K. L. (2010). Human behavior in the social environment: A multidimensional perspective (4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.

Eshleman, J. R., & Bulcroft, R. A. (2010). The family (12th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Jordan, C., & Cory, D. (2010). Boomers, boomerangs, and bedpans. National Social Science Journal, 34(1), 79–84.

Lin, I., & Brown, S. J. (2012). Unmarried boomers confront old age: A national portrait. The Gerontologist, 0(0), 1–13. Retrieved from http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/322105-baby-boomers-confront-old-age.html

Musil, C., Warner, C., Zauszniewski, J., Wykle, M., & Standing, T. (2009). Grandmother caregiving, family stress and strain, and depressive symptoms. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 31(3), 389–408.

Neal, M. B., & Hammer, L. B. (2009). Dual-earner couples in the sandwiched generation: Effects of coping strategies over time. Psychologist-Manager Journal, 12(4), 205–234.

Schwartz, M. A., & Scott, B. M. (2010). Marriages and families: Diversity and change (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

World Bank. (2015). Population ages 65 and above (% of total). Retrieved from http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.65UP.TO.ZS?locations=US

Questions We Can Help You To Answer

Paper instructions:

Question: Prevention Interventions Can Be Therapeutic
It has been said that while prevention programs (for example, non-clinical, psycho-educational activities) are not therapy, they may be therapeutic for a participant. Interpret what this observation means, giving examples from the unit readings.

(you must use at least two refrernces from the readings to support your answer)

unit reading:Prevention and Advocacy
INTRODUCTION
Whether social science professionals work in clinical or non-clinical settings, the mission of the organization is often concerned with the wellbeing of families. In this course, you have explored families from a systems perspective and in a social context. In this unit, you will explore efforts of researchers, professional organizations, and practitioners working in the field to define, develop, deliver, and evaluate prevention and advocacy services focused on families and family members.

Myers-Walls, Ballard, Darling and Myers-Bowman (2011) have summarized the work of those professionals involved in family life education to further understand what professional services and activities fall within the boundaries of family life education, distinguishing it from family therapy and family case management. The Advanced Studies in Human Behavior program prepares professionals for a variety of non-clinical leadership roles, but is also well suited to enhancing the leadership roles of those with clinical backgrounds. Differentiating family prevention and advocacy services from family therapy is essential, and it must not be assumed that there is a hierarchical relationship in the skills needed for prevention and advocacy work, with therapy professionals being at the top of the ladder, possessing all the skills needed for various types of psycho-educational, prevention, and advocacy work. This is not the case!

Although Doherty's 1995 model may have made it appear so in its simplicity of five levels, Doherty's work made it clear that not only are there different competencies involved, but also those receiving services have different expectations—the contract between the professional and those he or she is serving is such that ethical boundary issues must be conscientiously addressed. This was discussed in Unit 1 as you explored ethics, and is revisited here as you explore examples of prevention and advocacy in the work of Early Head Start (Brophy-Herb, et al., 2009) and how family education practitioners approach working with couples (Duncan, Childs & Larson, 2010; Hawkins, Carroll, Doherty & Willoughby, 2004) and stepfamilies (Gelatt, Adler-Baeder & Seeley, 2010).

A list of selected Web sites of prevention and advocacy organizations serving children, youth, and families that offer research-based resources developed by credentialed experts is given in this unit's studies.

At the end of this unit, your Critique of Research Methodology and Recommendations assignment will be due. This paper should represent the Scholarly Research Critique and Research Recommendations portion of your final project assignment, and it introduces a scholarly skill you will need for developing a dissertation. Critiquing research methodology is part of the literature review (Chapter 2) in a dissertation. Be sure to refer to the document, Guidelines for Critique of Research Reports for helpful tips. "Recommendations for future research" is one of the sections you will develop within Chapter 5 of your own dissertation one day soon. The recommendations for future research presented by researchers who have gone before you can help substantiate the need for your proposed research.

References
Brophy-Herb, H. E., Horodynski, M., Dupuis, S. B., London Bocknek, E., Schiffman, R., Onaga, E., ... Thomas, S. (2009). Early emotional development in infants and toddlers: Perspectives of Early Head Start staff and parents. Infant Mental Health Journal, 30(3), 203–222.

Doherty, W. J. (1995). Boundaries between parent and family education and family therapy. Family Relations, 44(4), 353–358.

Duncan, S. F., Childs, G. R., & Larson, J. H. (2010). Perceived helpfulness of four different types of marriage preparation interventions. Family Relations, 59(5), 623–636.

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Applying the ABCX Model of Stress

Paper instructions:

Question: Applying the ABCX Model of Stress
Select a family stressor and analyze the factors that make a family more or less crisis-prone. Why do different families respond so differently to similar stressor events? Discuss these factors in terms of the ABCX model's focus on resources and meanings or perceptions.


(You must use at least two references from the readings to support your answer)

Unit reading: Family Stress and Violence
INTRODUCTION
In the 1950s, Dr. Reuben Hill, often called the grandfather of family social science, asked a research question in a new way. Instead of looking at mental illness and other dysfunctional outcomes in families, he looked at the Great Depression, a period he had lived through as a child, and asked, why, with the entire country under the same social and economic stressors, did some families get through it together and others fall apart? Through his research, the ABCX model of stress was born, and it has been used to address many different stressor events (the A-factor in that model) since that time. In this unit, you will have the opportunity to use the model to analyze a family stressor and to identify the resources (the B factor) and the perceptions of the event (the C factor) that determine if and how well the family will cope or manage the stressor, and how well they adapt after the event.

Chapter 13 in your text covers many normative and nonnormative stressors. Normative stressors and transitions are those that are typical to many families (for example, developmental and lifecycle events), while nonnormative stressors and transitions are those that are not common to most families. Stressors are often negative but can also be positive, and yet create stress and require adaptation (McCubbin, Joy, Cauble, Comeau, Patterson & Needle, 1980). Many of the developmental and transitional issues in couple relationships, marriage, and parenting explored in the previous units fall into the category of normative stressors.

Additional journal articles were selected for this unit to address two nonnormative issues that have impacted many U.S. families. Hurricane Katrina unfolded before our eyes on the evening news, but we did not begin to identify all the stressors impacting the economic, physical, social, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing of families. War and terrorism has become another current theme in the stress and coping literature regarding U.S. families, although forms of war and terrorism have been present for some or all U.S. families throughout our history. Johnson (2008) and Heitler (2010) wrote about domestic abuse and violence as a form of terrorism.

In this unit, you will review many forms of violence within families as well as violence experienced by family members, originating outside the family. As you review each section of Chapter 13, seek out research to support your role as a prevention specialist and advocate for families.

References
Anderson, K. L. (2010). Conflict, power, and violence in families. Journal of Marriage & Family, 72(3), 726–742.

Eckstein, J. (2011). Reasons for staying in intimately violent relationships: Comparisons of men and women and messages communicated to self and others. Journal of Family Violence, 26(1), 21–30.

Eshleman, J. R., & Bulcroft, R. A. (2010). The family (12th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Heitler, S. (2010). Terrorism as large scale domestic violence. Retrieved from http://www.therapyhelp.com/terrorism-as-large-scale-domestic-violence

Johnson, M. P. (2008). A typology of domestic violence: Intimate terrorism, violent resistance, and situational couple violence. Lebanon, NH: Northeastern University Press.

Macdermid Wadsworth, S. M. (2010). Family risk and resilience in the context of war and terrorism. Journal of Marriage & Family, 72(3), 537–556.

McCubbin, H. I., Joy, C. B., Cauble, A. E., Comeau, J. K., Patterson, J. M., & Needle, R. H. (1980). Family stress and coping: A decade review. Journal of Marriage and Family, 42(4), 855–871.

Reid, M., & Reczek, C. (2011). Stress and support in family relationships after Hurricane Katrina. Journal of Family Issues, 32(10), 1397–1418.

Questions We Can Help You To Answer

Paper instructions:

Question: Policy Action Bulletins
Write a policy action bulletin on a specific concern that is currently impacting children or families. Model your bulletin after the ones developed by professionals who are members of the Minnesota Council on Family Relations (see the unit readings). Although you will not be able to list questions that arose from a group of professionals at a conference as these bulletins do, develop action questions based on your scholarly information gathering and synthesis. Your content does not have to be formatted as the examples are, but be sure to use headings to separate the sections of your bulletin content. Note: There are many policy briefs posted online; your policy action bulletin will be submitted to Turnitin for an originality report.

(you must use at least two references from the readings to support your answer)

unit reading: Families and Social Policy
INTRODUCTION
Policy, in its broadest definition, includes a set of goals or objectives that are guided by a deliberate and strategic action plan to achieve a set of rational outcomes. Family policies are a set of "political beliefs about how the government should assist families in caring for dependents" (Cherlin, 2008, p. 472).

Policies, like theories, reflect a micro-, macro-, and multilevel approach. Regardless of the policy's focal target, family policies are highly controversial. At the heart of the debate are these questions: How involved should the government be in families' lives? Should family be a private or public domain? This debate becomes even more heated as issues of gender roles, race, class, sexual orientation, and ethnicity often emerge. As you have seen in the previous units, gay and lesbian families argue that government policies in the United States should recognize gay marriages. At the heart of this debate is the question: who makes up a family, and who should determine the definition of family?

How family policies are formulated depends on the theoretical perspective one takes regarding policy development. The first is a rational model, which assumes that policymaking is rational. In other words, you can identify all the goals and objectives of a particular social problem and then identify all the alternative options to address the problem. All the consequences of the choices are known, and the decision is made on the basis of achieving the greatest good with the least harm. Many critics assert that the rational model is too simplistic and linear to serve as a model for studies of a dynamic, multilevel, and highly complex reality (Hyman, Wadsworth & Alexander, 1991).

Another policy model is incrementalism. This policy model has been called the science of muddling through. It describes the benefits of changing the status quo only by small, incremental steps. Critics have raised concerns that an incremental approach minimizes social innovations (Bendor, 1995).

The third model for policy formulation is the value criteria model of policymaking. It argues that all social policies are value-laden and reflect broad societal values (Hyman, Wadsworth & Alexander, 1991). The question becomes: who selects the values to guide the policy?

In terms of application to family issues specifically, in the article by Hong, Algood, Chiu, and Lee (2011), the authors use an early form of Bronfenbrenner's ecological model, with its five ecological systems, to analyze kinship foster care.

Dr. Karen Bogenschneider is one of the premier family policy researchers in the United States. In their decade review in the Journal of Marriage and the Family, Bogenschneider and Corbett (2010) elaborate upon this distinction between policymaking in general versus family policy and a family perspective in policymaking. They state, "Intuitively accepting the importance of healthy families to a strong and vital society is one thing; it is quite another to consciously and systematically place families at the center of research and policy" (p. 788).

Eshleman and Bulcroft (2010) point out that three types of research are needed to support effective family policy:

Research to determine what type of policy is needed.
Research to evaluate an existing program or policy.
Research to assess the impact and consequences of a program or policy beyond its specific intent.
As the composition of families continues to reflect social trends and pressures, the need for families to adjust to the demands of change will continue. How the social context supports these changes while also supporting families will ultimately be reflected in family policies.

Questions We Can Help You To Answer

Paper instructions:

Question: Family Perspective in Policymaking
After reviewing the readings in this unit and viewing the short video, Raising Babies Behind Bars, present an argument for programs such as this from a family perspective in policymaking. What types of research and advocacy efforts would you recommend to support policies during these difficult economic times?

I have attached a copy of the video Transcript)
(you must use at least two references from the readings to support your answer)

unit reading: Families and Social Policy
INTRODUCTION
Policy, in its broadest definition, includes a set of goals or objectives that are guided by a deliberate and strategic action plan to achieve a set of rational outcomes. Family policies are a set of "political beliefs about how the government should assist families in caring for dependents" (Cherlin, 2008, p. 472).

Policies, like theories, reflect a micro-, macro-, and multilevel approach. Regardless of the policy's focal target, family policies are highly controversial. At the heart of the debate are these questions: How involved should the government be in families' lives? Should family be a private or public domain? This debate becomes even more heated as issues of gender roles, race, class, sexual orientation, and ethnicity often emerge. As you have seen in the previous units, gay and lesbian families argue that government policies in the United States should recognize gay marriages. At the heart of this debate is the question: who makes up a family, and who should determine the definition of family?

How family policies are formulated depends on the theoretical perspective one takes regarding policy development. The first is a rational model, which assumes that policymaking is rational. In other words, you can identify all the goals and objectives of a particular social problem and then identify all the alternative options to address the problem. All the consequences of the choices are known, and the decision is made on the basis of achieving the greatest good with the least harm. Many critics assert that the rational model is too simplistic and linear to serve as a model for studies of a dynamic, multilevel, and highly complex reality (Hyman, Wadsworth & Alexander, 1991).

Another policy model is incrementalism. This policy model has been called the science of muddling through. It describes the benefits of changing the status quo only by small, incremental steps. Critics have raised concerns that an incremental approach minimizes social innovations (Bendor, 1995).

The third model for policy formulation is the value criteria model of policymaking. It argues that all social policies are value-laden and reflect broad societal values (Hyman, Wadsworth & Alexander, 1991). The question becomes: who selects the values to guide the policy?

In terms of application to family issues specifically, in the article by Hong, Algood, Chiu, and Lee (2011), the authors use an early form of Bronfenbrenner's ecological model, with its five ecological systems, to analyze kinship foster care.

Dr. Karen Bogenschneider is one of the premier family policy researchers in the United States. In their decade review in the Journal of Marriage and the Family, Bogenschneider and Corbett (2010) elaborate upon this distinction between policymaking in general versus family policy and a family perspective in policymaking. They state, "Intuitively accepting the importance of healthy families to a strong and vital society is one thing; it is quite another to consciously and systematically place families at the center of research and policy" (p. 788).

Eshleman and Bulcroft (2010) point out that three types of research are needed to support effective family policy:

Research to determine what type of policy is needed.
Research to evaluate an existing program or policy.
Research to assess the impact and consequences of a program or policy beyond its specific intent.
As the composition of families continues to reflect social trends and pressures, the need for families to adjust to the demands of change will continue. How the social context supports these changes while also supporting families will ultimately be reflected in family policies.

References
Bogenschneider, K., & Corbett, T. J. (2010). Family policy: Becoming a field of inquiry and subfield of social policy. Journal of Marriage & Family, 72(3), 783–803.

Bendor, J. (1995). A model of muddling through. American Political Science Review, 89(4), 819–840.