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Thesis/Dissertation Information
- Degree Disciplines:
- Education
Notes
- Abstract:
- Purpose: Nationally, an alarming rate of maltreatment (defined as neglect, medical neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and psychological maltreatment) is occurring in children three years of age or younger. As such, parent education courses have become a common component of court ordered dependency case plans for abusive parents. Yet, there are few empirically validated treatment interventions showing beneficial influences on abusive parents (Borrego, Urquiza, Rasmussen, & Zebell, 1999; Huebner, 2002; Fennell & Fishel, 1998). What appears to be lacking in empirical research is the relationship between the prevalence of child abuse, adult attachment issues, and the implementation of parent education program. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of exposure to a parenting education program on attachment styles. The participant’s style of attachment will be identified using the Attachment Styles and Close Relationships Questionnaire. The intent is to identify each participant with one of the four identified attachment styles described as: Secure, Preoccupied, Dismissing, or Fearful-Avoidant style of attachment.
Method : For this study, the researcher used a quasi-experimental, nonrandomized control group pretest-posttest design. Recruitment flyers were distributed throughout Child Welfare Agencies and Community Based Care organizations within Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties. As such, twelve participants completed the study, ending with six in the control group and six in the experimental group. The participants were given the Attachment Styles and Close Relationships Questionnaire which categorized them into one of four attachment styles: Secure, Preoccupied, Dismissing and Fearful/Avoidant. In addition the Parenting Stress Inventory (PSI) was used and the Attachment subcategory test scores were specifically obtained as a pretest and posttest to attain a score of their reported attachment level to their child. Each group met for two hours, one day a week for four weeks, totaling eight hours of parent education for each group.
Major Findings : The results of an independent samples t test indicate that participating in a parent education course with specific focus on attachment does not yield a significant difference in test scores when compared to a control group of parents who receive just the parenting course; however, there was a moderately large effect size (η2 =.28). Perhaps if more participants had completed the study, the results would have been significant. The results of a 2 x 4 analysis of variance indicated that there was a significant difference between scores for the preoccupied and dismissing levels of attachment while the secure and fearful/avoidant levels of attachment showed little difference between scores.
- Thesis:
- Thesis (Ph.D.)--Barry University, 2006.
- Bibliography:
- Includes bibliographical references (leaves 90-104)
Record Information
- Source Institution:
- Barry University
- Holding Location:
- Barry University Archives and Special Collections
- Rights Management:
- Copyright. Permission granted to Barry University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
- Resource Identifier:
- BF723.A75 C46 2006_ChmelirTeresa ( BU-Local )
- Classification:
- BF723.A75 C46 2006 ( lcc )
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