Esther Kweiki Malm

With much research into physical, cyber, and verbal bullying victimization, social bullying victimization is a type of victimization that can be hidden. Studies about Black father involvement have found involvement to be a buffer to adverse and risky behaviors of children, including different forms of victimization experienced by their daughters. This study examined one gap in the literature: the direct and potentially indirect associations between father involvement and father–child relationship quality on child reports of social bullying victimization among girls. The cross-sectional sample of 368 Black fathers and their daughters was sourced from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing study. Data from wave 5 were selected for the child (age 9) and father because social bullying victimization was first measured at this time point. Logistic regression analysis findings showed father involvement was associated with lower social bullying victimization. In addition, talking and sharing ideas quite well rather than extremely well with their fathers was associated with higher odds of social bullying victimization. Father–daughter relationship quality did not mediate the father involvement and social bullying victimization relationship. Findings provide additional support to include fathers, particularly Black fathers, in intervention/prevention efforts and the importance of increasing awareness and benefits of father involvement in subtle forms of victimization such as social bullying victimization among Black families.

This study examined factors associated with marital satisfaction/dissatisfaction among Ghanaian couples living in Ghana and abroad. Using a correlational design, data from a convenience sample of 231 married participants from Ghana and abroad were collected via an online survey. Results from regression analyses revealed that four positive behaviors—affection, companionship, commitment to the family, and financial support—and one negative behavior, beatings/slaps, were significantly associated with marital satisfaction. Three negative behaviors—annoying habits, selfishness, and disrespect—were significantly associated with marital dissatisfaction. Participants in Ghana reported significantly higher rates of beatings in marriage compared to those abroad. Also, negative behaviors experienced in marriage were significantly associated with less secure and more anxious attachment styles. Finally, slaps/beatings as associated with marital satisfaction show unique cultural/sub-cultural interpretations of behaviors. Findings contribute to growing studies and clinical practice that serve multicultural individuals and families.

Proper treatment of developmental disabilities requires health workers to have adequate knowledge of etiology and referral procedures. There is a dearth of research on knowledge of developmental disabilities among health workers in Ghana. The purpose of this study was to document knowledge about developmental disorders, causes, and referral procedures among health workers. Researchers used a successive free-listing method to interview 37 health workers. Developmental disabilities which present with physical symptoms were the most salient disorders identified among health workers, while learning disabilities and attention deficit disorder were largely overlooked. The most commonly listed developmental disabilities were cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and autism spectrum disorder. Respondents had limited knowledge about the causes of and referral resources for developmental disabilities. Results show the need for continuing medical education, public awareness, and enhanced resources to support the identification and care of children with developmental disabilities in Ghana.

Parenting by lying is a phenomenon in which parents lie to their children, usually for a positive goal, and has been the subject of new parenting research. This study tested the associations between parenting by lying in childhood, lying to parents in young adulthood, and parent–child relationship quality. Secondly, we examined the mechanisms through which these constructs were all related to internalizing behaviors in young adulthood, specifically—stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms. Young adult participants between the ages of 18 and 24 (N = 206) responded to questions about parenting strategies experienced in childhood, their current adult functioning, lying to parents, and parent–child relationship quality. Results indicate that parenting by lying in childhood was significantly associated with lower quality relationships with parents during young adulthood. Additionally, we found that double mediation models (lying to parents and quality of parent–child relationships) were best fitting the data in explaining the exploratory mechanisms (indirect pathways) through which parenting by lying was associated with internalizing behaviors (stress responses, anxiety, and depressive symptoms) in young adulthood. Based on all the findings, a review of parenting by lying in childhood as a common parenting strategy, and further research is highly encouraged. Other implications are discussed.

Longitudinal data from NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development tested direct, indirect and reciprocal effects of maternal depressive symptoms, stress/support factors on child bullying and peer victimization through mother–child relationship quality at grades 3, 5, 6. Data from 828 mother-child dyads indicated small significant effects of some hypothesized pathways, including a small direct effect of maternal depressive symptoms at grade 3 on peer victimization at grade 5, but not on bullying behaviors. Mother–child relationship quality at grade 5 negatively predicted bullying at grade 6, but not peer victimization. There were small effects of bullying behaviors at grade 5 on decreased mother–child relationship quality at grade 6. Maternal employment at grade 3 predicted decreased bullying behaviors at grade 6 through mother–child relationship quality at grade 5. Findings are relevant for parent inclusive research and approaches to anti-bully intervention strategies and prevention policies.