Human Development & Family Science Doctoral Work
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Browsing Human Development & Family Science Doctoral Work by browse.metadata.program "Human Development and Family Science"
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Item Aging Out of Place: Quality of Life and Successful Aging Among Aging Refugee Immigrants in the US(North Dakota State University, 2021) Owino, Jonix AtienoAs individuals age, they experience physical, cognitive, and socioemotional changes that may impact their well-being. However, little is known about well-being among aging refugees. Thus, the present study explores factors associated with quality of life and perceptions of successful aging among refugees who are aged 50 years and above. This mixed methods dissertation included a quantitative and qualitative study. For the quantitative study, 108 refugee participants (from Bhutan, Burundi, and Somalia) living in the US were surveyed to assess quality of life. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that females, older individuals, individuals with lower education levels, and African refugees reported lower quality of life. When controlling for sociodemographic factors, social integration was positively and loneliness was negatively associated with quality of life. Furthermore, trauma related experiences and post-migration living difficulties did not predict well-being for all participants; however, moderating effects of place of origin, sex, level of education and length of residence were observed. Twenty-one aging, Burundian refugees were recruited for the qualitative study to explore perceptions and experiences of successful aging. Emergent themes showed that some of aging refugees’ perceptions of successful aging were consistent with perceptions among other aging populations, yet in many ways the unique background of aging refugees seemed to impact their aging perceptions, such as perceiving an earlier onset of aging. Cultural factors and the context of being a refugee led to unique experiences of successful aging, and apparent gender differences. In summary, perceptions of aging out of place among aging refugees indicated both protective factors and risk factors. The findings from the two studies of this dissertation suggest important future directions of inquiry and have potential implications for communities on how they can better support aging refugees as well as develop effective interventions to promote well-being.Item Changing Rural Communities: An Exploration of Older Adults' Experiences(North Dakota State University, 2013) Strommen, Jane M.This research was designed to better understand the perceptions and experiences of older adults who live in small towns and rural areas. In this qualitative study, 13 individuals were interviewed to gain an in-depth understanding of their experiences related to aging, community change, and well-being. Participants ranged in age from 69 to 90. Two articles report the results of this research in Chapters Three and Four. The first article presents the themes that reflect the participants' perceptions of living in changing communities. Data analysis revealed five themes: elders were saddened by losses in their community but were resigned to accept them; diversity among the rural communities affected views about community; dwindling social networks and opportunities left elders feeling isolated and lonely; attachment to place was strong, and commitment to stay on despite concerns for the future. The second article focuses on the daily life experiences, challenges, and strategies of older adults living in rural communities. Four key themes emerged from participants' responses about their lived experiences in communities that have undergone long-term changes: social interactions were limited; sense of social connectedness had weakened; daily life experiences depended on community and individual characteristics; and elders sought to manage challenges. Overall, there was a strong desire to remain in rural areas in spite of challenging conditions, with attachment to place being a factor contributing to the commitment to age in place. Daily experiences and challenges for participants were influenced by both community and individual characteristics. Person-environment relationships served as environmental comfort, maintenance, or distress for rural elders. Participants expressed disappointment in the deteriorating social interactions and social connections in their communities, resulting in feelings of isolation and loneliness. Future research should include a closer examination of the environmental characteristics that serve as resources or stressors for rural elders and of the personal competencies that help older adults adapt to changing environments and manage their lives effectively. These studies help identify specific environmental and personal characteristics that either promote or hinder well-being for elderly living in rural communities.Item Multiracial Identity as a Factor in Body Image and Disordered Eating(North Dakota State University, 2022) Leonard, KerrieEmerging adulthood is a significant developmental stage where both ethnic-racial identitydevelopment and body dissatisfaction/disordered eating are salient. Past research suggests that there are links between identity development and body image/disordered eating (Palmeroni et al., 2020). Additionally, studies in the body image/disordered eating field have begun to examine differences among ethnic-racial groups (see Bucchianeri et al., 2016). However, there is limited research with Multiracial individuals (i.e., individuals with two or more ethnic-racial backgrounds). It is undetermined how Multiracial identity development influences body image and disordered eating behaviors. Thus, two studies were conducted to explore such connections. Participants included 174 Multiracial emerging adults (M = 21.8 years, SD = 2.08 years) in the U.S. Most participants were women (73.6%). The most common Multiracial identities were Asian-White (36.2%) and Black-White (23.0%). Study 1 was a mixed-method study that tested the racial identity-related factors of ethnic-racial identity achievement (i.e., feeling secure in one’s identity), racial ambiguity, racial incongruity, race esteem, and self-rated impact of identity and their associations with body dissatisfaction, body appreciation, and disordered eating. Furthermore, participants provided their overall thoughts and feelings on the impact of their Multiracial identity on their body image. Study 2 was a qualitative study that further explored Multiracial participants’ lived experiences with exoticization, racial ambiguity, and racial incongruity and how those experiences influenced their feelings towards their bodies. Quantitative results showed that ethnic-racial identity achievement and race esteem were positively associated with body appreciation. The qualitative findings provided mixed evidence, with an array of diverse appraisals and feelings ranging from positive to negative. Together, this research illuminates the ways in which being Multiracial plays a role in body image and disordered eating. The overall findings have implications for medical professionals, families, prevention and intervention programming, and Multiracial individuals themselves. Research with Multiracial participants is particularly important given that the U.S. Multiracial population is growing at a swift pace and that body image/disordered eating issues are prevalent for emerging adults.Item Tracking Body Dissatisfaction and Body Ideals of Ethnically Diverse College Women(North Dakota State University, 2022) Johnson, EmmaGlobally, women are exposed to society-created, unachievable body ideals, which change over time and are subject to influence by other, typically Western, societies. Socializing agents such as family members, peers, and media often reinforce these ideals through pressure, which can then lead to body dissatisfaction. Research on body ideals and body dissatisfaction disproportionately focuses on White women within the United States. While this group is important to continue to examine, there is a need to include women from outside of the United States and from Non-Western societies. Thus, this study examined college women’s perceptions of body ideals within and outside of the United States, where they learned these ideals, changes in body dissatisfaction over time, and how pressure to be thin from socializing agents was associated with body dissatisfaction in women from both Western and Non-Western societies. College women born and raised within the United States (domestic) and women from outside of the United States but now living in the United States to attend college (international) completed a series of online surveys. First, open-ended questions were used to gather participant perceptions of body ideals. Results indicated that three main body ideals existed within and outside of the United States, with a thin, with accentuated features ideal being the most prominent within the United States, and a thin-ideal being the most common among Non-Western women. Further, nearly all participants stated that the media was responsible for teaching them about body ideals. Second, validated measures were used to collect data about pressure from socializing agents and body dissatisfaction among Western and Non-Western (specifically Asian) women. Body dissatisfaction at baseline and trajectory of body dissatisfaction did not significantly differ between the two groups. However, while greater pressure all socializing agents were associated with higher body dissatisfaction in the predominantly White Western group, for the Asian group, only pressure from family members was significantly associated with increased body dissatisfaction. The results of this study can be used to inform and create broader, culturally appropriate educational body image programming with the goal of preventing or intervening to reduce body dissatisfaction in college women.