Exploring Sociocultural Factors in Appalachia : Caregiver Behaviors and Responses to the Tuning in to Teens parent education program.
Abstract
Appalachia is a region with deep cultural roots and close knit-communities, where individuals often rely on one another for guidance and support. Nevertheless, this region also faces limited access to and stigma surrounding mental health services, contributing to stress and anxiety within families. Parent education programs have positive implications for youth and family functioning. Tuning into Teens is one such program that supports caregivers in developing emotional communication skills and improving parent-child relationships. The study aimed to explore how accessibility of resources for families in Appalachia corresponded to parent emotion communication style and youth psychosocial adjustment. Participants included 28 caregivers of adolescents in South Central Appalachia who were enrolled in a virtual Tuning into Teens program. Prior to starting the group, caregivers reported on caregiver emotion socialization, adolescent emotion dysregulation, and adolescent internalizing symptoms. Caregivers also reported their access to resources (federal insurance, free lunch, food stamps, etc.) and number of generations a family has resided in the Appalachian region. An independent sample t-test revealed that families receiving food stamps reported more emotion-focused responses to their children’s emotions compared to families not receiving food stamps. Moreover, families who received food stamps had youth who reportedly had more emotion dysregulation and internalizing symptoms than families who did not receive food stamps. Additionally, families who are on Medicaid or TennCare reported being more problem-focused in response to their child’s emotions than families who did not receive federal insurance. A bivariate correlation indicated that the number of generations a family has resided in Appalachia did not relate to caregiver emotion communication style and youth psychosocial adjustment. These findings highlight that families receiving resources such as food stamps may experience additional stressors, including financial instability and the challenge of balancing multiple responsibilities. These stressors can negatively impact family dynamics, particularly in areas such as emotional communication and relationships, which in turn may influence child outcomes. Furthermore, the finding that caregivers receiving federal insurance were more problem-focused in their responses to their children’s emotions suggests a solution-oriented approach to problem-solving. This may reflect a practical strategy for managing stressors efficiently, particularly when faced with numerous responsibilities. These findings highlight the importance of parent education programs such as Tuning into Teens, which serves as a beneficial tool for caregivers, especially when they face additional stressors that impact family dynamics.
Start Time
16-4-2025 2:30 PM
End Time
16-4-2025 3:30 PM
Room Number
271
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Presentation Subtype
UG Orals
Presentation Category
Social Sciences & Business
Faculty Mentor
Rachel Miller-Slough
Exploring Sociocultural Factors in Appalachia : Caregiver Behaviors and Responses to the Tuning in to Teens parent education program.
271
Appalachia is a region with deep cultural roots and close knit-communities, where individuals often rely on one another for guidance and support. Nevertheless, this region also faces limited access to and stigma surrounding mental health services, contributing to stress and anxiety within families. Parent education programs have positive implications for youth and family functioning. Tuning into Teens is one such program that supports caregivers in developing emotional communication skills and improving parent-child relationships. The study aimed to explore how accessibility of resources for families in Appalachia corresponded to parent emotion communication style and youth psychosocial adjustment. Participants included 28 caregivers of adolescents in South Central Appalachia who were enrolled in a virtual Tuning into Teens program. Prior to starting the group, caregivers reported on caregiver emotion socialization, adolescent emotion dysregulation, and adolescent internalizing symptoms. Caregivers also reported their access to resources (federal insurance, free lunch, food stamps, etc.) and number of generations a family has resided in the Appalachian region. An independent sample t-test revealed that families receiving food stamps reported more emotion-focused responses to their children’s emotions compared to families not receiving food stamps. Moreover, families who received food stamps had youth who reportedly had more emotion dysregulation and internalizing symptoms than families who did not receive food stamps. Additionally, families who are on Medicaid or TennCare reported being more problem-focused in response to their child’s emotions than families who did not receive federal insurance. A bivariate correlation indicated that the number of generations a family has resided in Appalachia did not relate to caregiver emotion communication style and youth psychosocial adjustment. These findings highlight that families receiving resources such as food stamps may experience additional stressors, including financial instability and the challenge of balancing multiple responsibilities. These stressors can negatively impact family dynamics, particularly in areas such as emotional communication and relationships, which in turn may influence child outcomes. Furthermore, the finding that caregivers receiving federal insurance were more problem-focused in their responses to their children’s emotions suggests a solution-oriented approach to problem-solving. This may reflect a practical strategy for managing stressors efficiently, particularly when faced with numerous responsibilities. These findings highlight the importance of parent education programs such as Tuning into Teens, which serves as a beneficial tool for caregivers, especially when they face additional stressors that impact family dynamics.