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One of the principal features of the family is the interdependence among its members and among relationships. This complexity challenges family researchers from a methodological point of view: they have to find and implement the most suitable research strategy to preserve the family's relational specificity. How do researchers handle this complexity? What research designs have been devised? What unit of analysis has been used? How many and which types of family relationships have been investigated? In order to answer these questions, we conducted a systematic review of recently published studies (2003-2013) on the family, and we analyzed two special issues on methodology. The results show that there is a general increase in interest on family topics and on methodological-relational issues. However, most of the studies adopt an individual perspective and do not take interdependence into account. Suggestions for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Lasallista de Investigación is the property of Corporacion Universitaria Lasallista and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The paper confronts Georg Simmel's distinction between the dyad and the triad with the phenomenological analysis of analogous structures undertaken by E. Lévinas, B. Waldenfels, and J.-L. Marion. Simmel insists on keeping the dyad and the triad apart while only the triad is considered worthy of sociological research. On the contrary, phenomenologists reveal deep interrelation between the relationship with the other and the third party where the latter is actually co-present in the dyad. The presupposed link between the two and the three implies a different understanding of sociality that would respect its members in their uniqueness, unlike the world of interchangeable individualities common for social science. The third party can appear as the dimension of law and the ordinary (in Waldenfels), as the other of the other and the figure of humanity (in Lévinas), or as the child in the case of erotic relationship (in Marion). The last aspect of the third party provides a link to family studies. A brief outline of the situation illustrates oscillation between the triadic and dyadic interpretations of the family with the apparent prevalence of the dyad in recent decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multigenerational households are increasingly affecting both the individual and family as well as community organizations and social policies. Social work and other family studies students can profit from educational modalities that use adult learning applications through a systems life-course perspective, the whole family aging over time. Family simulation software—addressing multigenerational families, such as two or more adult generations living together—builds on a previous paper (Marriage & Family Review,Feb. 2015). Social class, among other demographic and environmental variables, is emphasized. Agent-based family social network simulation of multigenerational families can facilitate experiential learning. An automatically generated life events report, based on both factual data and specific family characteristics, can be used as a classroom case study for role playing and assessing. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Children's education has become an important part of urban family consumption, and the rapid expansion of private tutoring schools and supplemental lessons has constituted a big part of the children's education market. Taking the perspective of family studies and using China Education Panel Survey (2013–2014) data, this paper explores the relationship between family structure, parenthood, and the consumption of children's education. This research shows that family investment in children's education exhibits dual characteristics of instrumental rationality and emotional expression; children from one-child families, living with both parents and receiving more attention and affection from their parents, have more educational opportunities outside of school; girls receive more advantage over boys. Meanwhile, social class differences in the consumption of children's education are significant. Middle-class families have greater education expectation and will invest more in children's education, displaying a significantly stratified preference in supplemental lessons. These findings illustrate the need to take a new look at family studies and consumption research regarding the issue of child education consumption in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there are bibliometric studies of journals in various fields, the field of family studies remains unexplored. Using the bibliometric metrics of the two-year and five-year Journal Impact Factors, the H-index, and the newly revised CiteScore, this paper examines the relationships among these metrics in a bibliometric study of forty-four representative family studies journals. The citation data were drawn from Journal Citation Reports, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The correlation analysis found strong positive relationships on the metrics. Despite the strong correlations, discrepancies in rank orders of the journals were found. A possible explanation of noticeable discrepancy in rankings was provided, and the implications of the study for stakeholders were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between marital satisfaction and life satisfaction through meta-analysis method. A total of 6163 studies were identified as a result of the literature scanning and accordingly examined on the basis of their titles and abstracts. Ultimately, results of 19 studies were included to analysis. The findings obtained from analyses were examined and it was determined that there is a significant difference in all subgroups regarding the relationship between marital satisfaction and life satisfaction. Output of REM analysis showed that the pooled effect size of the relationship between marital satisfaction and life satisfaction is moderate (0.46). Considering the screening process within the scope of this study, it can be concluded that there are too many poor reporting practices regarding the studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family studies is a developing field in Southeast Asia. Scholars attempt to touch on family relations as they cover issues on national identity, state policies, gender division of labor, migration, agriculture, and modernization. It is important to give particular focus on the farming families in the region because, of all types of families, they are the ones who face and adapt to most changes in political, economic, cultural, and social terms. By reviewing literatures done in relation to farming families in Malaysia and the Philippines, this paper argues for the importance of (1) acknowledging the convergence in the definition and usage of the terms "family" and "kinship" in studying different forms of families, (2) exploring contemporary sociocultural perceptions on the family farm, and (3) ensuring that scholarly works go beyond focusing on development approaches and wife-husband dyad relations. Towards the conclusion, this work highlights the possibility of exploring Geertz and Ellen's ecological approach in studying the role of the land in the strengthening or weakening of family relations. It also recommends Agarwal's bargaining approach be extended to Southeast Asia and that siblingship and generational positionalities be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broadly, this article details the imbrication of a Black feminist qualitative researcher's onto-epistemology and data (meta-) analysis process. I theorize Black feminist memory work, then apply this method by returning to data I collected for a completed research project and meshing those data with a curated selection of thematically connected family photographs. By revisiting and reviewing textual and visual data, I demonstrate the function of Black feminist memory work as a visual research method with which to not only describe, analyze, and interpret evocative photographs, but also excavate and make meaning of the sometimes repressed and oftentimes emotion-laden episodic and autobiographical memories that inevitably surface when conducting qualitative research. I conclude by underscoring how this tool creates opportunities for qualitative researchers to address the ontological concerns that connect qualitative inquiry to Black feminists' humanistic hopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The term "childless" is highly problematic. Attempts to split it into "voluntary" and "involuntary" may appear to give more detail on context, but the differentiation can be misleading. The condition of "-less" has negative connotations and implies "missing" something; possibly something which is "natural." The term "childfree" has been employed as an alternative expression which denotes active choice, freedom, and emancipation. Few studies, however, have explored how individuals refer to themselves, or how they interpret—or even care—about these distinctions. Such existing studies only explore the use of these English expressions among speakers of English as their primary language. This exploratory qualitative study explores how women without children define themselves in their native language in an Asian setting—Cantonese in Hong Kong. It also explores how such women interpret the various terms developed in English to describe their circumstances. Respondents refer to themselves in neutral, factual terms—literally "without children." Others make an explicit link between being unmarried and childless status. While respondents find the English expression of "childfree" positive, they do not express a strong need to either deploy it in English, nor "develop" a Cantonese equivalent. The study provides further evidence that "labels" generated and applied by academics in one context and in one language may not be universally applicable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Arab Journal of Psychiatry is the property of Arab Federation of Psychiatrists and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This research examines maternal smoking during pregnancy and risk for poorer executive function in siblings discordant for exposure. Data (N = 173 families) were drawn from the Missouri Mothers and Their Children study, a sample, identified using birth records (years 1998–2005), in which mothers changed smoking behavior between two pregnancies (Child 1 [older sibling]: M age = 12.99; Child 2 [younger sibling]: M age = 10.19). A sibling comparison approach was used, providing a robust test for the association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and different aspects of executive function in early-mid adolescence. Results suggested within-family (i.e., potentially causal) associations between maternal smoking during pregnancy and one working memory task (visual working memory) and one response inhibition task (color-word interference), with increased exposure associated with decreased performance. Maternal smoking during pregnancy was not associated with stop-signal reaction time, cognitive flexibility/set-shifting, or auditory working memory. Initial within-family associations between maternal smoking during pregnancy and visual working memory as well as color-word interference were fully attenuated in a model including child and familial covariates. These findings indicate that exposure to maternal smoking during pregnancy may be associated with poorer performance on some, but not all skills assessed; however, familial transmission of risk for low executive function appears more important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Extension programs rely on the expertise of qualified FCS educators to impact individuals, families, and communities through community-based educational programs. Due to a crucial shortage of FCS educators, it is challenging to hire to hire qualified FCS extension educators to fill vacancies in some areas of the country. The purpose of this paper is to discuss findings of a study of perceptions of FCS Extension Program Leaders on future supply and demand issues of FCS extension educators. Strategies for recruitment to ensure career pathways for qualified employees are also considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focusing on rural white communities in the early twentieth century, this article examines how disability, queerness, and economic estrangement were intertwined in American eugenic assessments of the "unfit." In doing so, it attends to the knotty relations of power by which such communities were simultaneously adjudged deviant and bestowed with the privileges of whiteness. Eugenic family studies supported claims to white superiority by regulating and preventing reproduction among "unfit" rural white communities who might reveal the sham of white supremacy. Yet eugenicists were also concerned about same-sex sexuality and other nonproductive sexualities among the unfit, despite their focus on the "science of better breeding." This article first analyzes how eugenicists defined a desire for work as the counterpoint to perverse sexual desire. Next, it examines how state institutions used a legal "conduct test" to classify a person as incapable self-support — and therefore feebleminded — on the basis of same-sex sexual relationships, refusal to marry, interdependence, or failure to meet gendered labor norms. Throughout, the article details how eugenic family studies mapped disability, nonproductivity, and nonheteronormativity onto rural landscapes. It concludes by contending that rural queer studies can leverage these landscapes of marginality to think with the racialized city rather than against it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Seminare Learned Investigations / Seminare. Poszukiwania naukowe is the property of Francis de Sales Scientific Society / Towarzystwo Naukowe Franciszka Salezego and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

As one of the most fundamental parts of social structure, marriage significantly influences society. In Indonesia, the complexity of issues in a marriage is increased considerably by the practice of polygamy. Historically, polygamy has been a part of Indonesian society. Nonetheless, as Indonesia progresses to become more democratic society, women's rights in polygamous households has become a topic of tension among Indonesians. The effort to address women's rights in polygamy is confronted with a sensitive hurdle due to the close association of polygamy with religious beliefs, particularly within Islam. As defined by the faith, polygamy was designed to be the social welfare protection system for a widow and her children. However, the modern practice has deviated from its original intention and is at risk of harming women's rights. As such, establishing a broader perspective of polygamy with an approach that leans more towards accepting Indonesian plurality and tolerance is critical for protecting women's rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marital satisfaction is one of the most important variables on which a lot of research have been performed in the field of family studies. The aim of this study is to compare the themes of life stories in two groups of women with high and low marital satisfaction. Therefore, the present study is causal-comparative research using the method of narrative research which consists of the research community of all married women in Isfahan in 2021, who were selected by coastal sampling method of 20 women (10 of whom get the highest score and 10 of whom get the lowest score of marital satisfaction) and they have received a semi-structured interview of McAdams' Life Story (2001); the interviews are then coded and the Mann-Whitney U test is used to compare the narratives. The obtained results show that there is a difference between satisfied and dissatisfied women in terms of the number of themes of communion, redemption and contamination; so that the two themes of communion and redemption in the narratives of satisfied women are significantly higher and the number of themes of contamination in these individuals is significantly lower than the group of dissatisfied women. Also, there is no significant difference in the number of agency themes among the narratives of the two groups of women. According to the obtained results, it can be said that the satisfied and dissatisfied people have different experiences of marital life, which can be observed from the stories of these people about their lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although family sociology in Japan has a long history, sociological family studies in Japan have undergone major changes since the 1990s. This article recounts the ways in which family sociology in Japan has developed and its current state, with a special focus on the developments in the last three decades. The 1990s marked a turning point in the history of Japanese family sociology in terms of the establishment of new academic societies and a paradigmatic shift in theoretical orientations. The trends in family research articles indicate the continuing importance of quantitative research, with the role of qualitative research on the rise over the last two decades. In reviewing the literature over the last three decades, the author summarizes four major strands of empirical research: (a) care and families, (b) social inequality and families, (c) comparative research, and (d) diversity of families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper confronts Georg Simmel’s distinction between the dyad and the triad with the phenomenological analysis of analogous structures undertaken by E. Lévinas, B. Waldenfels, and J.-L. Marion. Simmel insists on keeping the dyad and the triad apart while only the triad is considered worthy of sociological research. On the contrary, phenomenologists reveal deep interrelation between the relationship with the other and the third party where the latter is actually co-present in the dyad. The presupposed link between the two and the three implies a different understanding of sociality that would respect its members in their uniqueness, unlike the world of interchangeable individualities common for social science. The third party can appear as the dimension of law and the ordinary (in Waldenfels), as the other of the other and the figure of humanity (in Lévinas), or as the child in the case of erotic relationship (in Marion). The last aspect of the third party provides a link to family studies. A brief outline of the situation illustrates oscillation between the triadic and dyadic interpretations of the family with the apparent prevalence of the dyad in recent decades.

This theorethical article outlines the development of family life education in Hungary. In the early 20th century, as a result of civic initiatives, this specific educational area as an independent professional and scientific field was organized in the United States and Western Europe. In Hungary, however, much like other Central and Eastern European states, institutional education became available much later. A government decree issued in the early seventies draws attention to the fact that "the biological, health, ethical, moral knowledge necessary for harmonious, desirable human relations is not sufficiently widespread among the general public, especially among young people, to create a well-balanced family life and to achieve a broad range of modern family planning. Therefore, measures should be taken to prepare for family life in all forms of public education and in the dissemination of information to the general public" (Mihalec et al 2011, 90) Komlósi points out, however, that despite the first governmental initiative on family life education, for decades there has been no significant change in practice. (Komlósi 1995) " In Hungarian secondary education, the pedagogical knowledge that can be chosen as subject matter for graduation examinations in pedagogical vocational secondary schools includes a growing proportion of topics related to education for family life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Robust findings demonstrate that parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience high levels of parenting stress that are associated with negative outcomes for families. Although the majority of research on parenting stress has focused on parents of children with an existing diagnosis, parents of young children with concerns about ASD‐related behaviors also face many unique challenges before the time of diagnosis. However, no study to date has examined patterns of parenting stress among parents of children with ASD concerns prior to a formal ASD diagnosis. Therefore, the current study investigated longitudinal trajectories of parenting stress among parents of young children with ASD concerns compared to parents of children with non‐ASD developmental concerns (e.g., language delay), and parents of children with no developmental concerns. Known predictors of parenting stress were also examined. Results from multilevel model analyses revealed that parents of children with ASD concerns experienced consistently higher levels of parenting stress across early child development compared to parents of children with non‐ASD developmental concerns and those with no concerns. Additionally, parenting efficacy, psychological functioning, social satisfaction, and child social communication behaviors predicted levels of parenting stress for all parents. Autism Res 2020, 13: 82–92. © 2019 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Lay Summary: This study examined parenting stress across time among parents of young children with ASD concerns before receiving a diagnosis. Parents of children with ASD concerns reported consistently higher levels of parenting stress compared to parents of children with other developmental concerns and parents of children with no concerns. Also, ASD concerns predicted parenting stress in addition to other parent and child predictors of parenting stress. These findings highlight the need to better support families before an ASD diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking into consideration the major activities of the state and non-governmental bodies in the area of social policy, the paper focuses on the question of to what extent the educational offer in the field of family studies conducted in public higher education institutions is related to current needs, problems and social issues. An analysis and evaluation of education in the field of family studies in correlation with contemporary social policy in Poland was carried out. It was observed that the learning objectives assumed in the curriculum in the areas of knowledge, skills and social competence as regards the field of family studies are not always directly related to the specific specialisation. This may lead to only apparent acquisition by the students of family studies of proper professional qualifications required in the labour market (e.g. as a family assistant, a mediator in family matters, caretaker of the elderly, a childcare professional, a coordinator of foster family care). Consequently, it seems justified to change the offer of education in the field of family studies from a general academic profile to a practical one, with close cooperation between academic teachers and employers. A significant challenge that deserves particular attention is a dual (alternating) mode of studies. This would allow the students in the field of family studies to obtain higher qualifications in a specific profession and prepare them for the competitive labour market.

This article investigates how arguments about the "child's best interest" are constructed in court decisions on asylum and family reunification in Finland. The article brings together two strands of scholarship that have so far been rather separate from each other, namely that of the literature on family reunification and feminist family studies. Analysis shows that the best interest of the child is insufficiently addressed and other arguments sideline the evaluation of child's best interest. Gender has an impact as the best interest of the child seems to play a more significant role in relation to motherhood than it does in relation to fatherhood. In general, the court did not deem motherhood or fatherhood central to the child's development as such, but rather as something that became central if it could not be performed properly due to other reasons than separation. Considerations such as ties to either Finland or the country of origin, as well as the income requirement, can become factors that override the potential separation from a parent. Finally, the results are also compared to the child's best interest evaluation in out-of-home placement cases from the same courts. Our analysis shows a stark contrast between these two types of cases. We show that whenever a child's case falls under immigration law, even when simultaneously being handled within the framework of child protection, the main deciding factor is not the best interest of the child. Alien affairs are decided based on—almost solely—factors other than the child's best interest, while the same Supreme Administrative Court rules on child welfare cases based on a very different interpretation of child's best interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comparing West Germany and the U.S., we analyze the association between equity—in terms of the relative gender division of paid and unpaid work hours—and the risk of marriage dissolution. Our aim is to identify under what conditions equity influences couple stability. We apply event-history analysis to marriage histories using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel for West Germany and the Panel Study of Income Dynamics for the U.S. for the period 1986–2009/10. For the U.S., we find that deviation from equity is particularly destabilizing when the wife underbenefits, especially when both partners’ paid work hours are similar. In West Germany, equity is less salient. Instead, we find that the male breadwinner model remains the single most stable couple arrangement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dr. Irving I. Gottesman was very creative in applying twin research designs to test hypotheses and predictions about human behavior. Two designs stand out among others: twins reared apart from birth and the twin-family study. I (NS) was inspired to incorporate both of these approaches into my own research programs at California State University, Fullerton. Gottesman's involvement and contributions to reared-apart twin research are described, followed by selected findings from the Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart (MISTRA), the Fullerton Study of Chinese Twins Reared Apart (CTA), a case report on separated monozygotic (MZ) female twins from South Korea, and doubly exchanged MZ male twin pairs from Colombia, South America. Recent findings from an ongoing twin-family study of social closeness, and future directions, are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of several specialized journals that examine the experiences of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) individuals, families, and communities, particularly the Journal of GLBT Family Studies, has profoundly shaped GLBT research. Engaging in taking stock activities helps to identify trends on which future research should focus to further develop the field. For example, scholars suggest critical analysis of journal publications is necessary for field development, which was done here. Specifically, this content analysis examines the first decade of publications appearing in the Journal of GLBT Family Studies from 2005 to 2015 (N = 233) to identify trends in theoretical foundations, methodological plurality, and inclusivity. Results revealed foci on experiences of GLBT adults. Studies focused less on issues unique to GLBT populations (i.e., stigma). Qualitative designs and primarily White, middle-class samples were most frequently used. Strengths and future opportunities are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing interest in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as a result of the increasing prevalence rates, and because children with ASD find it particularly challenging to enter the educational system. The present study explored the perceptions of parents of ASD children by identifying the factors which enhanced or hindered their children in receiving quality education. Four focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with 10 purposively selected participants per discussion group. A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data. Data were analysed using ATLAS.ti. The key themes which evolved were: developmental and educational awareness and support (enhancement); the education system (hindrance); developing the capacities of teachers with specialised training (hindrance); and financial needs (hindrance). The present study recognizes that there are enhancements and hindrances that affect children with ASD and their educational development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to explore the experience of female faculty in family therapy and family studies graduate programs. Specifically, we were interested in how female faculty members in these programs experienced their roles as academics, partners, and/or parents. We conducted a discovery-oriented study qualitative study of 62 female academics in family studies and family therapy disciplines to identify the greatest concerns and benefits experienced by women in a family-studies-oriented academic field. Using a content analysis, we found that women in family studies/family therapy academic programs experience both high rewards and high demands and struggle with choosing among competing values. Additionally, the participants perceived support from colleagues, professional institutions, and family members as crucial to a female academic's ability to perform up to expectations. We also offer suggestions for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented discussing several reports from the issue on the topic of queer family experiences.

Reflective functioning (RF) is a measure of mentalization-the capacity to think about one's own and others' thoughts and feelings and to understand the connections between mental states and behaviors. Previous research indicates a decline in marital quality across the transition to parenthood, and some studies have found that parents are less happy than non-parents. Thus, researchers have called for research into possible moderators of these patterns. RF may help couples navigate this transition by more easily taking each other's (and the infant's) perspective and understanding each other's behaviors. Much of the research on RF has focused on mothering behavior; research has not yet examined associations between RF and other family interactions. We examined associations between RF and marital and coparenting quality for both wives and husbands. Reflective functioning was coded from Adult Attachment Interviews conducted during pregnancy. We assessed marital quality at 3.5 months, and coparenting quality at 13 months, after the birth of the target child. Wives' higher RF was associated with higher levels of positive-and lower levels of negative-marital and coparenting interactions. Wives who were better able to reflect on their early experiences with their parents were involved in marital interactions that were more positive and supportive and less conflicted and undermining. Husbands' RF did not predict marital or coparenting quality. These findings highlight the importance of reflective functioning in understanding family functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infertility is a common yet often misunderstood experience. Infertility is an important topic for family scientists because of its effects on families, its relevance to research in related areas such as fertility trends and reproductive health, and its implications for practitioners who work with individuals and couples experiencing infertility. In this review, we focus on common misperceptions in knowledge and treatment of infertility and highlight insights from recent research that includes men, couples, and people with infertility who are not in treatment. The meaning of parenthood, childlessness, awareness of a fertility problem, and access to resources are particularly relevant for treatment seeking and psychosocial outcomes. On the basis of insights from family science research, we provide specific guidelines for infertility practice within broader social contexts such as trends in health care, education, employment, and relationships. Guidelines are presented across three areas of application: infertility education for individuals, families, and practitioners; steps to support the emotional well‐being of those affected by infertility; and understanding of treatment approaches and their implications for individuals and couples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family science has been doing translational science since before it came into vogue. Nevertheless, the field has been subjected to the same forces in the broader academy that have created a widening chasm between discovery and practice. Thus, the primary objective of this article is to translate the principles, concepts, and models of translational science to solidify an identity for family science and help the field move forward in broader academic, care delivery, and policy arenas. Alternative models of translational science, primarily from biomedicine but also from other disciplines, are reviewed and critically analyzed, and core concepts and principles are isolated, elaborated, and applied to family science. Family science's long‐standing commitment to the doctrine of evidence‐based practice, and its ongoing endorsement of the principles of scientific duality and multidisciplinary utility, places it in a preeminent position for using the zeitgeist of translational science to move forward. Nonetheless, the field has important epistemological, practical, professional, and curricular steps to complete to better position itself as a distinct and valued body of scientists. Ultimately, we argue that embracing the principles, concepts, and models of translational science should be leveraged by family science to help brand itself as a unique and essential social science field for enhancing the human condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores how translational family science might be instantiated by considering research on forgiveness in close relationships. Relevant historical context is provided to traverse ground in multiple disciplines in an attempt to avoid repetition of past errors. The translational science continuum (T1 to T4) is considered and specific examples of each type of translation are outlined. A set of explicitly stated implications are offered in the course of the analysis. These implications speak to lessons that can be learned for translational family science from the examination of forgiveness in a relationship context as well as mandates for forgiveness research that become apparent when research on this construct is viewed through the lens of translational family science. The potential for a healthy symbiotic relationship between translational family science and research on forgiveness in relationships is explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family science has been a translational science since its inception. The history of family science began with an interdisciplinary group of scholars who came together to explore the complex nature of families during the discovery phase, paying particular attention to applying information to resolve family challenges. In the pioneering stage, family professionals struggled with naming the discipline and assembled professional groups that collected and applied information to benefit families. In the maturing stage, disciplinary leaders deemed that family science met the criteria of a bona fide discipline and the field's identity became more pronounced, with a great deal of translational work occurring. During the current stage, evaluation and innovation, family science professionals need to assess programs and practices to refine and better articulate and distinguish the field. This historical account accentuates the central importance of the translational nature of family science to the discipline's identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historically, translational family science frameworks focused on policy have delimited the roles family scientists can play and the approaches they can implement within the scientific realm. In this article, we call for an expanded translational research‐to‐policy framework that is inclusive of such roles as policy educator, scholar‐advocate, and scholar‐activist. We argue that, depending on the policy topic or context of one's research, different approaches and roles are needed to move family research to policy, especially when working with marginalized and disenfranchised families. We then present 3 approaches to family policy engagement, particularly at the local and state levels: family impact seminars, deliberative policy processes, and community‐based participatory research. Each approach positions the family scientist to perform different roles—from policy educator to scholar‐advocate to scholar‐activist—in their translational work. We offer our reflections across roles and approaches and provide recommendations for future translational family science in the policy arena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on family instability is fertile ground for translation into policy and practice. This article describes how basic science in this area can more effectively support work in later stages of the translational research process. To begin, the scope of family instability is outlined with trends, causes, and effects. Next, a conceptual model of the effects of family instability on children's health identifies focal aspects that could be leveraged for translational research: developmental domain, developmental time, mechanisms, and points of variation. The guidelines presented are meant to be general and applicable to a variety of topics and fields in which family scholars aim to improve basic research that can contribute to and move forward a translational family science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses issues related to the training of translational scholars in family science (FS) graduate programs. The article advances the view that (a) FS students need more direct socialization on how to message about and market the brand of their programs and (b) the FS brand should be organized around the centrality of translational expertise as one of the core goals of the training mission of FS programs. The article goes on to suggest that the training of translational scholars in FS programs should be organized around two interrelated initiatives. The first involves introducing coursework that balances the focus on the production of scholarship with a focus on the translation of this scholarship into policy and practice. The second is for FS programs to build their capacity to train translational scholars by creating “learning laboratories” in partnership with other health and social service programs, with the explicit goal of advancing collaborative practice and promoting interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and translational scholarship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Family studies are an integral part of teaching of community medicine to all undergraduate medical and nursing students. It enhances the understanding of students about social determinants and multifactorial causation of disease. However, there is no standard approach towards it and it is seen as a clinical presentation with some elements of family included. We describe a systematic and comprehensive approach to a family study. Methods. Based on the existing literature and personal experience, we identified 11 domains under the acronym Family ASSESSMENT--Structure, Socioeconomic, Sickness, Nutritional, Educational, Environmental, Affordability, System (health), Mental, Family influence, Threats. Under each domain, we present indicative diagnoses and possible solutions. We also suggest that these domain diagnoses can be integrated into a single 'web of interaction' which provides a comprehensive understanding of the issues and guides us towards identifying the solutions. Results. We use a worked out example of a case of tuberculosis to demonstrate the use of this approach and develop a rich web of interaction, which is then linked to identification of possible approaches towards mitigating the impact of disease on the individual and the family. Some suggestions to the departments of community medicine on organizing family studies are also provided. Conclusion. Availability of a systematic and comprehensive approach would improve students' understanding of the social model of disease and multifactorial causation of disease. It will also provide a standardized method of teaching this important component of community medicine nationally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: One of four American cancer patients dies of lung cancer. Environmental factors such as tobacco smoking are known to affect lung cancer risk. However, there is a genetic factor to lung cancer risk as well. Here, we perform parametric linkage analysis on family-based genotype data in an effort to find genetic loci linked to the disease. Methods: 197 individuals from families with a high-risk history of lung cancer were recruited and genotyped using an Illumina array. Parametric linkage analyses were performed using an affected- only phenotype model with an autosomal dominant inheritance using a disease allele frequency of 0.01. Three types of analyses were performed: single variant two-point, collapsed haplotype pattern variant two-point, and multipoint analysis. Results: Five novel genome-wide significant loci were identified at 18p11.23, 2p22.2, 14q13.1, 16p13, and 20q13.11. The families most informative for linkage were also determined. Conclusions: The 5 novel signals are good candidate regions, containing genes that have been implicated as having somatic changes in lung cancer or other cancers (though not in germ line cells). Targeted sequencing on the significant loci is planned to determine the causal variants at these loci. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though only one component product of the larger eugenics movement, the eugenic family study proved to be, by far, its most potent ideological tool. The Kallikak Family, for instance, went through eight editions between 1913 and 1931. This essay argues that the current scholarship has missed important ways that the architects of the eugenic family studies theorized and described the subjects of their investigation. Using one sparsely interrogated work (sociologist Frank Wilson Blackmar's 'The Smoky Pilgrims') and one previously unknown eugenic family study (biologist Frank Gary Brooks' untitled analysis of the flood-zone Oklahomans) from the Southern Plains, this essay aims to introduce 'environment' as a schema that allows for how the subjects of the eugenic family study were conceptualized with respect to their surroundings. Geospatially and environmentally relevant constructions of scientific knowledge were central to the project of eugenics during its formative years, but remain largely and conspicuously absent from the critical literature which engages this project to separate the fit from the unfit in American society. The dysgenic constituted a unique human geography, giving us significant insight into how concatenations of jurisprudence as well as cultural and social worth were tied to the land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study examined associations between labor induction and both (1) offspring attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis in a Swedish birth cohort born 1992-2005 (n = 1,085,008) and (2) indices of offspring low academic achievement in a sub-cohort born 1992-1997 (n = 489,196). Associations were examined in the entire sample (i.e., related and unrelated individuals) with adjustment for measured covariates and, in order to account for unmeasured confounders shared within families, within differentially exposed cousins and siblings. We observed an association between labor induction and offspring ADHD diagnosis and low academic achievement in the population. However, these associations were fully attenuated after adjusting for measured covariates and unmeasured factors that cousins and siblings share. The results suggest that observed associations between labor induction and ADHD and low academic achievement may be due to genetic and/or shared environmental factors that influence both mothers' risk of labor induction and offspring neurodevelopment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Initially submitted February 1, 2016; accepted for publication August 4, 2016. The ability to classify people according to their underlying genetic susceptibility to a disease is increasing with new knowledge, better family data, and more sophisticated risk prediction models, allowing for more effective prevention and screening. To do so, however, we need to know whether risk associations are the same for people with different genetic susceptibilities. To illustrate one way to estimate such gene-environment interactions, we used prospective data from 3 Australian family cancer cohort studies, 2 enriched for familial risk of breast cancer. There were 288 incident breast cancers in 9,126 participants from 3,222 families. We used Cox proportional hazards models to investigate whether associations of breast cancer with body mass index (BMI; weight (kg)/height (m)2) at age 18-21 years, BMI at baseline, and change in BMI differed according to genetic risk based on lifetime breast cancer risk from birth, as estimated by BOADICEA (Breast and Ovarian Analysis of Disease Incidence and Carrier Estimation Algorithm) software, adjusted for age at baseline data collection. Although no interactions were statistically significant, we have demonstrated the power with which gene-environment interactions can be investigated using a cohort enriched for persons with increased genetic risk and a continuous measure of genetic risk based on family history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-gene cancer panels often identify variants of uncertain clinical significance (VUS) that pose a challenge to health care providers in managing a patient's cancer risk. Family segregation analysis can yield powerful data to re-classify a VUS (as either benign or pathogenic). However, financial and personnel resources to coordinate these studies are limited. In an informal assessment we found that family studies for variant classification are done by most clinical genetics laboratories that offer hereditary cancer panel testing. The process for family studies differs substantially across laboratories. One near universal limitation is that families usually have too few individuals for an informative co-segregation analysis. A unique and potential resource-saving approach is to engage patients and their families in expanding their own pedigrees for segregation analysis of their VUS. We describe a novel public educational tool () designed to inform patients and genetic counselors about strategies to improve the probability of variant classification using familial segregation. While the web tool is designed to be useful for any gene, the project was primarily focused on VUS's returned in cancer risk genes. is a resource for genetic providers to offer motivated families who are willing to gather information about their family relationships and history. Working alongside clinical or research genetic laboratories, the information they collect may help reclassify their VUS using segregation analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schizotypal traits are of interest and importance in their own right and also have theoretical and clinical associations with schizophrenia. These traits comprise attenuated psychotic symptoms, social withdrawal, reduced cognitive capacity, and affective dysregulation. The link between schizotypal traits and psychotic disorders has long since been debated. The status of knowledge at this point is such schizotypal traits are a risk for psychotic disorders, but in and of themselves only confer liability, with other risk factors needing to be present before a transition to psychosis occurs. Investigation of schizotypal traits also has the possibility to inform clinical and research pursuits concerning those who do not make a transition to psychotic disorders. A growing body of literature has investigated the genetic underpinnings of schizotypal traits. Here, we review association, family studies and describe genetic disorders where the expression of schizotypal traits has been investigated. We conducted a thorough review of the existing literature, with multiple search engines, references, and linked articles being searched for relevance to the current review. All articles and book chapters in English were sourced and reviewed for inclusion. Family studies demonstrate that schizotypal traits are elevated with increasing genetic proximity to schizophrenia and some chromosomal regions have been associated with schizotypy. Genes associated with schizophrenia have provided the initial start point for the investigation of candidate genes for schizotypal traits; neurobiological pathways of significance have guided selection of genes of interest. Given the chromosomal regions associated with schizophrenia, some genetic disorders have also considered the expression of schizotypal traits. Genetic disorders considered all comprise a profile of cognitive deficits and over representation of psychotic disorders compared to the general population. We conclude that genetic variations associated with schizotypal traits require further investigation, perhaps with targeted phenotypes narrowed to assist in refining the clinical end point of significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]