Well-being of Adolescents in
Military Families: Examining
the Intersections of Resilience
and Vulnerability
Chairs: Jay A. Mancini, Mallory Lucier-Greer,
& Amy Laura Arnold
Discussant: Angela Huebner
National Council on Family Relations
Annual Conference
San Antonio, TX
November 6, 2013
Data were drawn from a project funded by NIFA Award No. 2009-4868006069, Jay A. Mancini, Principal Investigator.
Modeling the Contributions of
Extracurricular Activity and
Social Support to the Well-being
of Youth from Military Families
Brittany D. Linde, University of Tennessee
Health Science Center
Jay A. Mancini, University of Georgia
Douglas A. Kleiber, University of Georgia
Hypotheses
1. Participation in extracurricular programs is positively
associated with adolescents’ perceived level of social
support.
2. Participation in extracurricular programs is associated with
positive well-being .
– A) Participation (Y/N)  Positive Well-being
3. Social support mediates the relationships in Hypothesis 2.
Theory
• The Relationship Functions Framework
– stems from Weiss’ (1974) social provisions
– emphasizes the connection between social interaction and
psychological well-being (Mancini & Blieszner, 1992)
– encompasses both the functions of social networks as well
as the consequences of relational deficits as people
experience change and transition
– resonates with adolescents from military families who
frequently experience change in close relationships within
a mobile military family unit
Measures
Participation
•
Measured dichotomously (Y/N); Did you participate in any
program or activity on- or off-post?
•
Measured again, but as to whether the participant
participated in certain types of activities (e.g. Fine Arts,
Sports & Health, Life Skills and Citizenship, or Academic)
Well-being
• Depression (CES-D): “I was bothered by things that usually
don’t bother me.” (Weissman et al., 1980)
• Anxiety (SCARED-R): “I worry about being as good as other
kids.” (Sherer et al., 1982)
• Self-efficacy (G-SES): “If something looks too complicated, I
will not even bother to try it.” (Muris et al., 1999)
Social Support
Social
Support
A
B
C
D
A Other people do not think I am good at
what I do.
B I do not think other people respect my
skills and abilities.
C There are people who recognize my skills
and abilities.
D There is no one that likes the things I do.
E
F
G
H
E There are people who enjoy the same
social activities I do.
F I feel part of a group of people who share
my attitudes and beliefs.
G There is no one who shares my interests
and concerns.
H I have relationships where my abilities
and skills are recognized.
Findings: The Overall Attendance
Model
Findings: The Overall Attendance Model
Depression
.05
Overall
Attendance
-.40**
.04
.48
-.20
Anxiety
.04 (.10**)
-.16**
-.28
.14**
Model Fit Indices
χ2 = 156.56 (df = 44), p < .001
CFI = .95
RMSEA = .05
.42**
Social Support
Self-Efficacy
Findings: The Stratified Attendance Model
Depression
Fine Arts
Attendance
.06
.00
Life Skills and
Citizenship
Attendance
Sports and
Health
Attendance
.08*
.01
-.01
-.11**
.15**
.46
-.39**
.07*
Anxiety
.01
-.26
-.06*
-.03
.14**
-.16**
.10*
Academic
Participation
-.18
.09* (.13**)
Self-Efficacy
-.07*
.42**
.06
Social Support
Model Fit Indices
χ2 = 197.24 (df = 65), p < .001
CFI = .95
RMSEA = .05
(Correlation coefficients for exogenous indicators
ranged from .13-.20)
Discussion
• Is ECA associated with Social Support?
– Overall, ECA participation was related to
higher perceived social support, but…
– Sports & Health programs were the only type
related to higher social support.
Partially mediated the pathway between ECA and
Sports & Health
Bolsters extent research on physical activity and
social support (e.g. Chaoqun et al., 2012; Hayashi, 1998; Kleiber & Roberts,
1987; O’Connor & Jose, 2012)
Support for Hypotheses
(NS-Not supported, PS-Partially supported, S-Supported)
Hypothesis 1: Participation in extracurricular activities positively influences military adolescents’
perceived level of social support
Hypothesis 2: Participation in extracurricular activities positively influences military adolescents’
well-being, conceptualized in this study as levels of depressive symptoms, anxiety, and self-efficacy.
2a: Youth who participate in at least one program will have higher self-efficacy and fewer
symptoms of depression and anxiety than those who do not participate in at least one
(NS-Not supported, PS-Partially supported, S-Supported)
activity.
2b: Youth1:who
participate
Fine Arts, Lifeactivities
Skills andpositively
Citizenship,
Sports and
Health,
and/or
Hypothesis
Participation
inin
extracurricular
influences
military
adolescents’
Academic
programs
will
have
higher
self-efficacy
and
fewer
symptoms
of
depression
and
perceived level of social support
anxiety
than those who
do not.
Hypothesis
2: Participation
in extracurricular
activities positively influences military adolescents’
2c:
The
greater
the
number
of
programs
a
youth
participatessymptoms,
in the fewer
the indications
of
well-being, conceptualized in this study as levels
of depressive
anxiety,
and self-efficacy.
depression
and anxiety,
the higher
the self-efficacy
indicated.
2a: Youth
who participate
inand
at least
one program
will have higher
self-efficacy and fewer
The
same goes
for the number
of programs
a youth
in by program
type.
symptoms
of depression
and anxiety
than those
whoparticipates
do not participate
in at least
one
2d: Theactivity.
more often a youth attends a program when it is offered (i.e. dose or extensity), the more
likely he/she
is to haveinfewer
of depression
and anxiety
2b: Youth
who participate
Fine symptoms
Arts, Life Skills
and Citizenship,
Sportsand
andhigher
Health,self-efficacy
and/or
than
if he/she
attended
Academic
programs
will less
havefrequently.
higher self-efficacy and fewer symptoms of depression and
The
same
goes
for extensity
by program type.
anxiety
than
those
who do not.
Hypothesis
3: Participation
in extracurricular
indirectlyinpositively
military
2c: The greater
the number
of programs a programs
youth participates
the fewerinfluences
the indications
of
adolescents’
well-being
through
the
mediating
effect
of
social
support.
depression and anxiety, and the higher the self-efficacy indicated.
Hypothesis
4: Gender
the associations
adolescents’
participation
The same
goes moderates
for the number
of programsamong
a youthmilitary
participates
in by program
type. in
extracurricular
programs,
social
support,
and well-being.
Girls are(i.e.
more
likely
to benefit from
2d: The more often
a youth
attends
a program
when it is offered
dose
or extensity),
the more
associations
in
the
models
leading
to
increased
social
support
and
well-being
than
boys.
likely he/she is to have fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety and higher self-efficacy
Hypothesis
Age moderates
than 5:
if he/she
attendedthe
lessassociations
frequently. among military adolescents’ participation in
extracurricular
programs,
social support,
and well-being.
Younger youth are more likely to benefit
The same
goes for extensity
by program
type.
from associations
leading toinincreased
social support
and
well-being
within influences
the modelsmilitary
than older
Hypothesis
3: Participation
extracurricular
programs
indirectly
positively
adolescents.
adolescents’ well-being through the mediating effect of social support.
Hypothesis 4: Gender moderates the associations among military adolescents’ participation in
extracurricular programs, social support, and well-being. Girls are more likely to benefit from
NS
PS
S
X
X
Support for Hypotheses
NS
X
PS
S
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Discussion
• Is ECA related to Well-being?
– Attendance in programs  Higher efficacy
– Only Sports & Health programs  Positive Well-being
• Supports extant research on protective effects of sports participation against
depression and anxiety (Babiss & Gangwisch, 2009; Johnson & Taliaferro, 2011; Strong et al., 2005) and to aid
in promoting efficacy (Larson, 2000).
– Life Skills & Citizenship and Academic participation  Higher anxiety
and depression
• “Play- like” (Kleiber & Roberts, 1978) vs. work-like activities
• Does Social Support Contribute?
– One pathway fully mediated (Overall Attendance & Efficacy)
– One pathway partially mediated (Sports & Health Attendance & Efficacy)
***Missing link(s) between ECA and WB
– Without the indirect influence of social support, well-being may have
even been reduced by participation, perhaps revealing relative
incompetence within the activity.
Symposium Summary
• All vulnerabilities are not equal
• Resist equating change with decline
• Going against the grain
– Counter-intuitive interactive effects
• Risk leads to poor outcomes but can be
altered by social relationships
• Family structure as a vulnerability
• The influence of formal programs on child
outcomes appears to operate through the
provision of social support
Future Considerations
• Measurement
– Conceptualizing how youth spend their time
• Practical points of intervention
– Family support
– Ties or connection to others outside the home
– Involvement in programs and engagement in
community activities