This study explored acculturation and acculturative stress in Sudanese adolescent refugees living in Brisbane. Twenty Sudanese adolescents participated in semi-structured interviews which revealed that the main source of acculturative stress was related to concern over English language proficiency, issues of parental control and conflicting cultural rules. However, optimism for the future was also evident in all the interviews. The results suggested the need for culture specific counselling practices and ongoing English language and cultural support for Sudanese refugee children in mainstream schools.

No abstract

No abstract

In response to the high rates of intimate partner abuse (IPA) among young adults and related negative health effects, this study examined 18- to 26-year-old Australians' perceptions of unhealthy partner behaviors that may constitute early warning signs of abuse in intimate relationships. This research is the first to examine gender differences on this issue in a young adult population. A convenience sample of 49 males and 152 females ( N = 201) completed an online survey, rating how seriously they viewed a list of partner warning sign behaviors (WSBs). WSBs consisted of three subscales: Dominance-Possessiveness, Denigration, and Conflict-Retaliation. Participants' perceived seriousness of WSBs was analyzed by gender and WSB type. Results revealed large and significant gender differences in perceptions of WSBs, with females likely to rate all WSBs more seriously than males. Furthermore, females' responses were negatively skewed and leptokurtotic indicating high levels of convergence in the view that such behaviors are a concern. Analysis by WSB type revealed that conflict-retaliation behaviors were perceived most seriously by both genders, with more than half of males and 67% of females rating these as very serious. In contrast, significantly lower levels of perceived seriousness were observed for denigration and dominance-possessiveness behaviors. Half to two thirds of females viewed dominance-possessiveness and denigration WSBs as very serious, respectively, whereas just one third of males endorsed both these WSB types as very serious. Findings reveal that females have a heightened awareness of the subtle warning signs of abuse in intimate relationships and that as partner WSBs become more overt, both genders are more likely to recognize them as serious. Findings also indicate that subtler WSBs, such as control and denigration, are less readily identified as unhealthy, particularly among males.

Objective Using a cohort of foster and kin carers, the research examined the underlying factor structure of the Parental Stress Scale (PSS; Berry & Jones, 1995). A hypothesized underlying two‐dimensional theoretical model was explored. Background With the growing demands on the foster care system, including poor retention and recruitment of foster carers, there is an urgent need to explore the positive and negative factors that may influence carers continued engagement in the role. Method The factor structure of the PSS was examined in a sample of foster and kin carers in Australia (N = 324). The PSS consists of 10 statements addressing stressful aspects of parenting and eight statements addressing satisfying aspects of parenting. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) explored the underlying theoretical structure of the scale as determined by the developers. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to confirm whether four factors would sustain reduction to a two‐dimensional (satisfaction–stress) model. Results EFA and CFA supported a two‐dimensional moderately correlated model measuring parent stress and parent satisfaction. The Parent Stress Index IV Short Form provided concurrent validity for the PSS stress subscale and previous analyses have also identified the strength of these dimensions over time, cohorts, and contexts. Conclusion The current study supports using the subscale scores in research with foster carers and potentially other populations to better capture both stress and rewards and satisfaction related to their parenting role. Implications Application of the PSS subscales can assess interactions or moderating effects of parenting in specific cohorts, making the PSS a valuable instrument to examine the balance between stress and reward for parents, foster parents and others who are “parenting” children.