Family Science Review
Introduction to the Special Issue
Co-Editors: Raeann R. Hamon, Ph.D., CFLE and Rebecca Adams, Ph.D., CFLE
Introduction: Welcome to this special issue of Family Science Review devoted to Advancing the Discipline of Family Science and Family Science Programs! We were pleased with the number of submissions we received from university faculty members across the United States—so many that we will publish a second issue. Our hope is that each of the papers in this collection will offer ideas, insights, and information which can strengthen the family science discipline, as well as our academic programs in family science.
Family Science: Thoughts About the Discipline
Stephen M. Gavazzi
ABSTRACT: Recent mergers and other reorganization efforts at colleges and universities across North America have generated fundamental questions about the visibility and therefore the long-term viability of certain academic areas. This article focuses more specifically on one of those fields – family science – and centers attention on the prominence and sustainability of this particular community of scholars. The connection between leadership efforts and the present and future state of family science are discussed in light of the theory of therapeutic failure and its application to unsuccessful management and administrative activities.
James E. Deal
ABSTRACT: Programs in family science have typically been housed in interdisciplinary departments combining the study of family relationships and the study of human development. While this model fits well with the academic and applied goals of the field, it makes these programs less easy to categorize than those that follow more traditional disciplinary lines. For individuals looking to document departmental performance, then, what sources of data are available? This paper will review the sources available for documenting performance and success in family science programs, with consideration given to how well family science, as a discipline, is represented in them.
Family Science Research and Pedagogy
Kathleen Walker and Maureen Blankemeyer
ABSTRACT: A key challenge of family science is to help students acquire a more thorough understanding of the field and career opportunities. To date, knowledge of family science graduates’ professional experiences is primarily anecdotal. The goal of this study is to present empirical findings from an online survey completed by 216 human development and family studies (HDFS) undergraduate alumni. Most were employed in positions related to their degree or had pursued post-undergraduate education. Completion of a field experience was the only predictor of employment in an HDFS-related position. Income, fields of practice, job functions, and age groups with whom they work are reported for alumni employed in positions related to their degree. Significant differences were found between these alumni and graduates who had pursued additional education in the importance placed on areas of knowledge and skills in their current roles. Implications are discussed for family science faculty and researchers.
Sharon M. Ballard, Elizabeth B. Carroll, Eboni Baugh, Alan C. Taylor, Bryce Jorgensen, Emily Bollinger, and DeAnna Coughlin
ABSTRACT: A key challenge of family science is to help students acquire a more thorough understanding of the field and career opportunities. To date, knowledge of family science graduates’ professional experiences is primarily anecdotal. The goal of this study is to present empirical findings from an online survey completed by 216 human development and family studies (HDFS) undergraduate alumni. Most were employed in positions related to their degree or had pursued post-undergraduate education. Completion of a field experience was the only predictor of employment in an HDFS-related position. Income, fields of practice, job functions, and age groups with whom they work are reported for alumni employed in positions related to their degree. Significant differences were found between these alumni and graduates who had pursued additional education in the importance placed on areas of knowledge and skills in their current roles. Implications are discussed for family science faculty and researchers.
Paul L. Schvaneveldt, Pamela B. Payne, Daniel S. Hubler, and Chloe D. Merrill
ABSTRACT: The purpose of the current study was to explore the ratings of core competencies for undergraduate students in Family Science. Identifying the competencies which are viewed as most important is necessary to effectively prepare undergraduate students for professions or other endeavors. A sample of 113 professionals in Family Science was asked to rate the importance of undergraduate students possessing 18 differing core competencies related to Family Science. A rank order of importance was identified. Variations were also identified by gender and type of institution (i.e., teaching focused university or research focused university). Implications for curriculum, teaching pedagogies, assessment, and future research are discussed.
Christopher K. Belous, Jessica A. Topor, and Samantha G. Gorton
ABSTRACT: In this brief report, we discuss the importance of socializing undergraduate students into a mental-health focused internship program, particularly associated with a Couple and Family Therapy program. We present information on the design and implementation of the program, and also discuss some of the feedback received from alumni and how it has evolved over the semesters. Finally, we make the argument to include similar types of internship in other universities and colleges that are interested in the mentoring of undergraduate students within a mental-health graduate program.
Olena Nesteruk
ABSTRACT: Working with immigrant families in a globalized world requires a deep understanding of the multidimensional experience of immigration as it unfolds over the course of the immigrant’s life. Family science students need to be aware of the diversity of immigrants and be knowledgeable about immigrant family dynamics across generations and among diverse ethnic groups. In this paper, I share my ideas for developing and teaching an Immigrant Families course to family science students. I provide my teaching approach, course objectives, content and scope of the course, as well as examples of required readings and course assignments. My recommendations may be useful to instructors interested in introducing such a course into their family studies programs or to those who wish to incorporate information on immigrant families into existing courses in order to strengthen students’ employability and increase their cultural sensitivity as future practitioners and scholars.