Zina T. McGee

This research addresses behavior difficulties and maladaptive coping among African American children and adolescents, and the manner in which these outcomes differ among those with incarcerated mothers. The study also provides an in-depth analysis of the experiences of mothers during and after their incarceration. Earlier investigations suggested that mothers’ victimization and offending, including drug use, are related to children’s emotional and behavioral outcomes. Hence, this research extends an ongoing project by investigating the nature of this relationship using aggregate data on adolescent health outcomes. Generally, most research addresses parental incarceration, typically followed by negative responses of male youth. Less research has evaluated the outcomes of parents’ incarceration on African American children and adolescents specifically. This is particularly true among those with incarcerated mothers. Additionally, examinations have highlighted the role of fathers’ incarceration on negative family functioning, yet we know less about the impact of mothers’ imprisonment and re-entry on children’s behavior. Many of these mothers are single and live in poverty, and their economic situations lead to higher risks of recidivism, deleteriously affecting their children. Moreover, several of them are raising children while experiencing traumatic mental health concerns amid drug usage with minimal support or treatment. For the current project, special attention is also placed on the mothers’ experiences with contact with children, prior history of substance abuse, mental illness, treatment for drug and alcohol problems, and coping with separation from children in an attempt to reveal the subsequent, harmful impact on children’s behavioral adjustment.

From examinations of the literature on the influence that exposure to violence and coping strategies have on delinquent behavior and emotional outcomes, this study addresses the association between violent victimization and the moderating effects of coping strategies among 500 African-American adolescents who exhibit both externalizing behaviors such as delinquency and internalizing symptoms, including anxiety and depression. The investigation examines the development of the aforementioned adjustment problems in response to victimization, and the findings indicate a relationship between the specific indices of victimization, including peer violence, and the symptomatology and coping mechanisms utilized by the youth in this study. Suggestions for future research in this area are discussed.

Aim: The aim of this study was to describe a Neuman Systems Model–guided study of perceptions of family stressors experienced by adult siblings who share caregiving for their parents and the influence of these stressors on adult siblings’ relationships.Background: The task of providing informal care for disabled parents is often shared by adult siblings. Family stressors experienced as part of caregiving may affect the sibling relationship.Design: A mixed‐method study design was used.Methods: Data were collected during 2013–2014 from 84 adult sibling caregivers. Seventy‐two caregivers provided quantitative data for the Lifespan Sibling Relationship Scale and the Zarit Burden Scale and 79 provided qualitative data for the open‐ended question.Results: Adult siblings experienced mild‐to‐moderate levels of burden from family stressors when they share parental caregiving. The amount of burden from intra‐family stressors was negatively related to the adult sibling relationship. Beneficial and noxious stressors were evident in the participants’ responses to an open‐ended question.Conclusion: The health of the parents affected the lives of adult siblings in both negative and positive ways. Although the majority of the adult siblings expressed a willingness to care for their parent(s) in an attempt to reciprocate the care, they had received from them, challenges emerged from dealing with family stressors.

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe African American teen mothers perceptions of nurse caring behaviors during the postpartum period in a rural southern state. African Americans have unique cultural needs; thus, it is critical for the science of nursing to explore and describe African American teenage mothers perceptions of nurse caring behaviors during the postpartum period. By exploring and describing African American first-time teenage mothers perceptions of nurse caring behaviors, the researcher will help nursing science gain insight into how to facilitate and enhance postpartum care for young families. An exploratory descriptive design was used and descriptive analyses were conducted on demographic characteristics and CBA subscales to answer the research question: How do African American first-time teenage mothers describe nursing behaviors and identify the most important nursing behaviors that they received during the postpartum period? Findings indicated that there was statistical significance for the independent variable, decision making for your health, and the Caring Behaviors Assessment (CBA) subscales of humanism/faith-hope/sensitivity (p = 0.050), human needs assistance (p = 0.052), and the demographic characteristics. The analysis revealed attentive to needs was a common theme. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe African American teen mothers perceptions of nurse caring behaviors during the postpartum period in a rural southern state. African Americans have unique cultural needs; thus, it is critical for the science of nursing to explore and describe African American teenage mothers perceptions of nurse caring behaviors during the postpartum period. By exploring and describing African American first-time teenage mothers perceptions of nurse caring behaviors, the researcher will help nursing science gain insight into how to facilitate and enhance postpartum care for young families. An exploratory descriptive design was used and descriptive analyses were conducted on demographic characteristics and CBA subscales to answer the research question: How do African American first-time teenage mothers describe nursing behaviors and identify the most important nursing behaviors that they received during the postpartum period? Findings indicated that there was statistical significance for the independent variable, decision making for your health, and the Caring Behaviors Assessment (CBA) subscales of humanism/faith-hope/sensitivity (p = 0.050), human needs assistance (p = 0.052), and the demographic characteristics. The analysis revealed attentive to needs was a common theme.

This study surveyed 200 incarcerated mothers to determine if treatment received in prison is related to communication with children. Emphasis is also placed on the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and treatment. Analyses showed that women who received treatment were more likely to be white. Younger women and women with only one child had the most contact with their children. Further analyses suggest that women who had participated in physical and mental illness treatment programs had more contact with their children. This study suggests the need for more treatment options for incarcerated women, and the need to formulate treatment to best fit the different sociodemographic characteristics of incarcerated women. This study further indicates the need to pursue research to determine specific reasons for differences in contact with children and treatment levels among incarcerated women with different sociodemographic characteristics.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to describe diabetes self-management practices and service utilization among Gullah families in South Carolina. Methods Data were obtained from 1276 persons with type 2 diabetes through interviews using the Family Health History Questionnaire. This was a primary analysis of a project conducted in conjunction with a parent study (Project SuGar) which focused on the molecular aspects of diabetes. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Results Diabetes self-management behaviors were not consistent with recommendations from the American Diabetes Association. Over half (55.6%) reported exercising, but only 27.7% reported self-glucose monitoring. Service utilization was poor, less than half, (41.1%) reported referral to a diabetic class/diet, 32.8% reported making yearly visits to the ophthalmologist, 22.3% reported visiting the dentist, and only 12.8% reported visiting the podiatrist. Conclusions Although some self-management behaviors were identified, Gullah family members remain at risk for preventable diabetes complications. Education must reflect behaviors and beliefs valued by Gullah individuals. Culturally appropriate educational programs may increase use of health care services aimed at decreasing preventable complications of type 2 diabetes in the Gullah population.

This project examines gender differences in exposure to violence, coping strategies and problem behavior among 306 African-American middle and high school students in the state of Virginia. Gender differences in problem behaviors among youth exposed to violence as either victims or witnesses are examined in addition to variations in coping strategies. Relying on recent research examining violent behavior and victimization events, the study focuses on the internalizing and externalizing behavioral characteristics (i.e., academic achievement, anxiety, depression, negative self-esteem, and delinquency) of urban students exposed to violence and the extent to which coping strategies differ. Results show specific gender differences with regard to problem behavior and coping strategy among African-American youth exposed to violence. For adolescent males, exposure to violence and victimization is strongly associated with externalizing problem behaviors such as delinquency, while adolescent females exposed to violence and victimization are more likely to exhibit internalizing symptoms indicative of post-traumatic stress disorder. Among students exposed to violence and victimization, females are more likely to use problem-focused coping (i.e., social support) as an adaptive strategy in comparison to males. Implications for intervention and future research are discussed.