Experience

Publications

• Leisure, Relatedness, and Ill-Being among Older Adults in Long-Term Care

  Activities Adaptation & Aging

  A self-determination theoretical framework was applied to examine the relationship between leisure activity engagement and ill-being (depression and health) and the mediating role of relatedness, measured as social support, among older adults in long-term care (N = 110). Results from the latent variable structural equation models suggest that, when controlling for functional status, participating in leisure activities was related to lower ill-being. This relationship was mediated by social support, such that activity engagement facilitated relatedness and relatedness was associated with improved mental and physical health. Discussion of the importance of leisure activities and social support as well as intervention implications are included.

• Leisure, Relatedness, and Ill-Being among Older Adults in Long-Term Care

  Activities Adaptation & Aging

  A self-determination theoretical framework was applied to examine the relationship between leisure activity engagement and ill-being (depression and health) and the mediating role of relatedness, measured as social support, among older adults in long-term care (N = 110). Results from the latent variable structural equation models suggest that, when controlling for functional status, participating in leisure activities was related to lower ill-being. This relationship was mediated by social support, such that activity engagement facilitated relatedness and relatedness was associated with improved mental and physical health. Discussion of the importance of leisure activities and social support as well as intervention implications are included.

• The role of social support in depression and task overload among college students

  Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

  Guided by the Relationships Motivation Theory, this short-term longitudinal study examined associations between social support (i.e., relatedness), depression, and stress in the form of task overload among emerging adult, university students (N = 184 at time one; N = 105 at time two; 69.2% female). Results from a series of path models indicated a significant relationship between decreased perceptions of social support over time and an increase in perceived task overload with significant mediating effects through depressive symptomology. Implications for counseling services as well as intervention and awareness points for university professionals are discussed.

• Leisure, Relatedness, and Ill-Being among Older Adults in Long-Term Care

  Activities Adaptation & Aging

  A self-determination theoretical framework was applied to examine the relationship between leisure activity engagement and ill-being (depression and health) and the mediating role of relatedness, measured as social support, among older adults in long-term care (N = 110). Results from the latent variable structural equation models suggest that, when controlling for functional status, participating in leisure activities was related to lower ill-being. This relationship was mediated by social support, such that activity engagement facilitated relatedness and relatedness was associated with improved mental and physical health. Discussion of the importance of leisure activities and social support as well as intervention implications are included.

• The role of social support in depression and task overload among college students

  Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

  Guided by the Relationships Motivation Theory, this short-term longitudinal study examined associations between social support (i.e., relatedness), depression, and stress in the form of task overload among emerging adult, university students (N = 184 at time one; N = 105 at time two; 69.2% female). Results from a series of path models indicated a significant relationship between decreased perceptions of social support over time and an increase in perceived task overload with significant mediating effects through depressive symptomology. Implications for counseling services as well as intervention and awareness points for university professionals are discussed.

• Family well-being & the importance of engaging in core leisure activities together

  National Council on Family Relations Report: Family Focus

  In Brief Engagement in joint leisure activities can bolster overall family well-being. Special leisure activities are beneficial, but common everyday leisure activities are also important. Using shared activities in a purposeful manner can help make leisure engagement more meaningful.

• Leisure, Relatedness, and Ill-Being among Older Adults in Long-Term Care

  Activities Adaptation & Aging

  A self-determination theoretical framework was applied to examine the relationship between leisure activity engagement and ill-being (depression and health) and the mediating role of relatedness, measured as social support, among older adults in long-term care (N = 110). Results from the latent variable structural equation models suggest that, when controlling for functional status, participating in leisure activities was related to lower ill-being. This relationship was mediated by social support, such that activity engagement facilitated relatedness and relatedness was associated with improved mental and physical health. Discussion of the importance of leisure activities and social support as well as intervention implications are included.

• The role of social support in depression and task overload among college students

  Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

  Guided by the Relationships Motivation Theory, this short-term longitudinal study examined associations between social support (i.e., relatedness), depression, and stress in the form of task overload among emerging adult, university students (N = 184 at time one; N = 105 at time two; 69.2% female). Results from a series of path models indicated a significant relationship between decreased perceptions of social support over time and an increase in perceived task overload with significant mediating effects through depressive symptomology. Implications for counseling services as well as intervention and awareness points for university professionals are discussed.

• Family well-being & the importance of engaging in core leisure activities together

  National Council on Family Relations Report: Family Focus

  In Brief Engagement in joint leisure activities can bolster overall family well-being. Special leisure activities are beneficial, but common everyday leisure activities are also important. Using shared activities in a purposeful manner can help make leisure engagement more meaningful.

• Blended Families: Here and Now

  The Newsletter for Certified Family Life Educators of the National Council on Family Relations

• Leisure, Relatedness, and Ill-Being among Older Adults in Long-Term Care

  Activities Adaptation & Aging

  A self-determination theoretical framework was applied to examine the relationship between leisure activity engagement and ill-being (depression and health) and the mediating role of relatedness, measured as social support, among older adults in long-term care (N = 110). Results from the latent variable structural equation models suggest that, when controlling for functional status, participating in leisure activities was related to lower ill-being. This relationship was mediated by social support, such that activity engagement facilitated relatedness and relatedness was associated with improved mental and physical health. Discussion of the importance of leisure activities and social support as well as intervention implications are included.

• The role of social support in depression and task overload among college students

  Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

  Guided by the Relationships Motivation Theory, this short-term longitudinal study examined associations between social support (i.e., relatedness), depression, and stress in the form of task overload among emerging adult, university students (N = 184 at time one; N = 105 at time two; 69.2% female). Results from a series of path models indicated a significant relationship between decreased perceptions of social support over time and an increase in perceived task overload with significant mediating effects through depressive symptomology. Implications for counseling services as well as intervention and awareness points for university professionals are discussed.

• Family well-being & the importance of engaging in core leisure activities together

  National Council on Family Relations Report: Family Focus

  In Brief Engagement in joint leisure activities can bolster overall family well-being. Special leisure activities are beneficial, but common everyday leisure activities are also important. Using shared activities in a purposeful manner can help make leisure engagement more meaningful.

• Blended Families: Here and Now

  The Newsletter for Certified Family Life Educators of the National Council on Family Relations

• Helicopter Parenting and Emerging Adult Self-Efficacy: Implications for Mental and Physical Health

  Journal of Child and Family Studies

  Helicopter parenting has become an increasing concern among practitioners, college administrators, and professors. Further, some research has indicated that this form of parenting may have a deleterious effect on emerging adult college students’ mental health. This study examines the factor structure of the Helicopter Parenting Behaviors measure, a recent scale developed to examine intrusive and supportive parenting behaviors, by using confirmatory factor analysis. We utilized a self-determination theoretical framework to replicate and expand current research regarding the impact of helicopter parenting and autonomy supportive parenting on emerging adult mental and physical well-being. Further, we examined self-efficacy as a mechanism for helicopter parenting and autonomy supportive parenting to impact well-being, using structural equation modeling with a sample of 461 emerging adult college students from a large southeastern, United States university. The two-factor structure of the Helicopter Parenting Behaviors measure was confirmed, indicating helicopter parenting and autonomy supportive parenting are two unique, but related, constructs. Both autonomy supportive parenting and helicopter parenting were found to have indirect effects on anxiety, depression, life satisfaction, and physical health through self-efficacy. Results also indicated autonomy supportive parenting was directly related to life satisfaction and physical health when accounting for self-efficacy, whereas helicopter parenting was not directly related to well-being. This study adds to the extant literature by its’ application of a family-level lens to the self-determination theory, its’ advancement of parenting behaviors measurement, and its’ exploration of the continued influence of parenting during emerging adulthood.

• Leisure, Relatedness, and Ill-Being among Older Adults in Long-Term Care

  Activities Adaptation & Aging

  A self-determination theoretical framework was applied to examine the relationship between leisure activity engagement and ill-being (depression and health) and the mediating role of relatedness, measured as social support, among older adults in long-term care (N = 110). Results from the latent variable structural equation models suggest that, when controlling for functional status, participating in leisure activities was related to lower ill-being. This relationship was mediated by social support, such that activity engagement facilitated relatedness and relatedness was associated with improved mental and physical health. Discussion of the importance of leisure activities and social support as well as intervention implications are included.

• The role of social support in depression and task overload among college students

  Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

  Guided by the Relationships Motivation Theory, this short-term longitudinal study examined associations between social support (i.e., relatedness), depression, and stress in the form of task overload among emerging adult, university students (N = 184 at time one; N = 105 at time two; 69.2% female). Results from a series of path models indicated a significant relationship between decreased perceptions of social support over time and an increase in perceived task overload with significant mediating effects through depressive symptomology. Implications for counseling services as well as intervention and awareness points for university professionals are discussed.

• Family well-being & the importance of engaging in core leisure activities together

  National Council on Family Relations Report: Family Focus

  In Brief Engagement in joint leisure activities can bolster overall family well-being. Special leisure activities are beneficial, but common everyday leisure activities are also important. Using shared activities in a purposeful manner can help make leisure engagement more meaningful.

• Blended Families: Here and Now

  The Newsletter for Certified Family Life Educators of the National Council on Family Relations

• Helicopter Parenting and Emerging Adult Self-Efficacy: Implications for Mental and Physical Health

  Journal of Child and Family Studies

  Helicopter parenting has become an increasing concern among practitioners, college administrators, and professors. Further, some research has indicated that this form of parenting may have a deleterious effect on emerging adult college students’ mental health. This study examines the factor structure of the Helicopter Parenting Behaviors measure, a recent scale developed to examine intrusive and supportive parenting behaviors, by using confirmatory factor analysis. We utilized a self-determination theoretical framework to replicate and expand current research regarding the impact of helicopter parenting and autonomy supportive parenting on emerging adult mental and physical well-being. Further, we examined self-efficacy as a mechanism for helicopter parenting and autonomy supportive parenting to impact well-being, using structural equation modeling with a sample of 461 emerging adult college students from a large southeastern, United States university. The two-factor structure of the Helicopter Parenting Behaviors measure was confirmed, indicating helicopter parenting and autonomy supportive parenting are two unique, but related, constructs. Both autonomy supportive parenting and helicopter parenting were found to have indirect effects on anxiety, depression, life satisfaction, and physical health through self-efficacy. Results also indicated autonomy supportive parenting was directly related to life satisfaction and physical health when accounting for self-efficacy, whereas helicopter parenting was not directly related to well-being. This study adds to the extant literature by its’ application of a family-level lens to the self-determination theory, its’ advancement of parenting behaviors measurement, and its’ exploration of the continued influence of parenting during emerging adulthood.

• Research note: social leisure engagement, peer support, and depressive symptomology among emerging adults

  Leisure Studies

  This research note applied self-determination theory to the study of social leisure and well-being among collegiate emerging adults. Self-determination theory posits that individuals seek out environments that promote basic psychological needs; among these needs is the need for relatedness. We examined the relationship between social leisure engagement (conceptualised as an environment that promotes connections to others) and emerging adults’ depressive symptomology. More specifically, we hypothesised that this need-supportive environment would be related to higher levels of peer support (a form of relatedness) and would promote better mental health. Participants (N = 270) were between the ages of 18 and 25. Using path models, we found that there was a significant negative relationship between social leisure engagement and depressive symptomology. Furthermore, peer support served as a significant linking mechanism between social leisure and depressive symptomology. Results provide evidence for the application of self-determination theory to the study of social leisure engagement as a need-supportive environment that can facilitate relatedness and better mental health among emerging adults.