BYU researchers examine how families help young adults contribute to society
February 18, 2009
A large-scale research project sponsored by the School of Family Life aims to better understand the effects that families have on the success young adults experience later in life.
Help families succeed
Randal Day, project director, says: "The data we are gathering is a treasure. It is one of the first studies of how everyday family life makes powerful and compelling differences in the lives of children.
This project will help us better understand families and consequently provide information that will assist them."
Students conduct and analyze research on families
Now in its third year, Flourishing Families is a research project in which more than 300 students have participated. Roy Bean, one of the six faculty members who head the project, says, "This is an opportunity for students to learn individually and in small groups from faculty, to connect classroom learning to an actual project, and to prepare for careers and families."
Day says student involvement is one of the study's distinguishing features: "This is a student project as much as it is a faculty project. At the start of the project, students were involved in project design and family recruitment. Now they are gathering and entering data. They are training the next group of student researchers, and they are presenting project findings at conferences and in papers. We know of 12 theses or dissertations based on the Flourishing Families research."
Massive multiyear project looks at character development
To date, BYU student researchers have conducted more than 1,500 in-home interviews, each lasting about 2.5 hours. Interview data will help scholars determine how family style and parental choices influence the development of character and virtue in children. Researchers are seeking quantitative data on values such as hope, persistence, diligence, generosity, kindness, and honesty.
During the interviews families discuss daily activities, distribution of chores, recreational activities, and other family interactions.
In addition to the interviews, family members are asked to complete questionnaires. Children's questionnaires ask about siblings, peers, and school. Parents' questionnaires focus on parenting, spousal relationships, and routines.
Participating families represent typical families. The project is being conducted in two locations: 500 families are from the Seattle, Washington, area, and 200 families are from Utah County. The families will periodically be interviewed over the next several years as the children interviewed transition into adulthood.
Bean says the purpose of the study is to provide data-driven information that will help parents in today's world. "Information such as this can help families see what can and should be changed. We want to help support parents in their efforts to raise children who are productive members of society."
Because the project includes mentored learning opportunities for students, it receives donated funds. Bean says, "Contributions have improved every aspect of this study. We trust that donations indicate both support and hope in what will be learned through this study." He says to those who give, "We are grateful for your support and all that it means." Visit www.flourishingfamilies.org for more information.
