Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Included in material for other sections

Accomplishments OBJECTIVES: 1. Determine the major challenges facing the three target populations with respect to work, family, and personal fulfillment. 2. Identify media and information sources used by the three target populations, and their perspectives on these media, to resolve and/or confront these challenges. 3. Examine and evaluate the messages and information that reach the three target populations through media and information outlets identified by focus groups. 4. Develop recommendations for adapting such messages and information to better address the needs of the three target populations. OBJECTIVE 1 Minnesota The transcribed data include group conversations of 40 professional women in six focus groups. Two additional focus groups have not yet been transcribed. Preliminary information from the transcripts indicates that most women are effectively managing their multiple role demands and enjoying the challenges as they do so. Information from the field notes includes some of the challenges women reported when they declined the opportunity to attend the focus group discussion. Work scheduled conflicts were expressed by seven of 12 women; child issues were identified by four, and work, family, and personal issues together were identified by seven. One woman said: How fitting (or would it be ironic?) that because of my work and family issues, I cannot attend the focus group on working mothers! The 40 women in this sample ranged in age from 26-54 years with a mean age of 41.2 years and 2.4 children. Thirty seven of the women were married at the time of the focus group conversation, two were divorced. and one was separated. The participants included 19 business professionals including managers, consultants, and trainers. Two owned businesses, six were executive/administrative professionals in non-profit organizations, governments, or universities; two were postsecondary teaching/research professionals; two were legal professionals; one was a physician; and one was a graphic designer. The following questions asked: What does changing landscape for American Women mean to you? What are the challenges and rewards of having both family and employment in your life? What is important in enabling you to meet family and professional goals? Where do you go to find information on work-family-personal issues? If a miracle occurred, and your whole life was improved overnight, what would be different? The time length for the group discussions ranged from 60-70 minutes. Mississippi Two groups consisting of four African American women per group were interviewed. The women in these groups represented what we called semi-professionals (those who had associates degrees or LPNs, for example, who were looking to upgrade with a bachelors degree or an RN, respectively). The women were interviewed during the Spring 2009 semester. Finding another group of professional women has been elusive, as professional women in the community at large (as opposed to the professional women who were interviewed last year and who represented university professionals) are busier than their university counterparts. The semi-professional women also have mates who share in the housework. Most work full time while attending school part time. Despite their busy schedules, they manage to find time for themselves (e.g., one bought a Wii for herself; another reads novels in the tub when her husband and kids are asleep). In fact, taking baths and hiding in their rooms seemed to be their preferred alone time! They use schedules primarily to keep track of their schoolwork and of their childrens activities. Many of these women work with the schools (i.e., school nurse) or at Head Start Programs or daycares, which seem to afford them somewhat flexible schedules in terms of dealing with childrens activities, etc. Those who do not have flexible workplaces have partners or older (driving) children who can help with (younger) childrens activities. Further analysis of data from last year and the current year indicated that the semi -professional women and professional women also carve out time with their partners by making, for example, date book coupons, in which the partner can give his partner the coupon in exchange for a date over the weekend. To ensure that children do not interfere with couple time, the children are often sent to relatives homes for the weekend. New Mexico Preliminary data from the focus groups seem to suggest that working class Latinas tend to place personal fulfillment last among work, family and personal fulfillment. Family appears to come first followed by achieving a satisfactory job performance. This major challenge seems to be the lack of time available to complete tasks due to role overload. Data from the four focus groups that were facilitated this year corroborate the notion that working class Latinas place personal fulfillment last among work, family and personal fulfillment. Tending to family appears to come first followed by achieving a satisfactory job performance. The major challenge seems to be the lack of time available to complete tasks due to role overload. This is in stark contrast to Latinas professionals. For this group, personal fulfillment and the expectation that ones husband will be more egalitarian in role sharing is more pronounced. Working class Latinas seem to place personal fulfillment last among work, family and personal fulfillment. Tending to family appears to come first followed by achieving a satisfactory job performance. The major challenge seems to be the lack of time available to complete tasks due to role overload. This is in stark contrast to professional Latinas. For this group, personal fulfillment and the expectation that ones husband will be more egalitarian in role sharing is more pronounced. Professionals appear to be more acculturated to middle class values. Wisconsin Focus group interviews were completed for professional women regarding their use of media and information sources. The focus group examined how women manage the parts of their lives (i.e. paid work, family work, romantic, parenthood, and friendships). The focus groups also looked at where women get information on issues related to personal well-being or fulfillment, or for balancing the different parts of their lives (i.e. role models, other people, and different forms of media). OBJECTIVE 2 Minnesota Professional women with children in six focus groups used print media for recreational and relaxation reasons (40 different magazines), but seldom for work and family issues. They appreciated the internet for finding answers to specific medical or other kinds of questions. They found co-workers more helpful than extended family members for every-day kinds of issues. Examples of mentioned magazines that were most often listed were News Week and, Time. The women also mentioned Harvard Business Review, Science, CEO Magazine, New Yorker, Economist, National Geographic, New York Times, Journal of Accounting and Laboratory Medicine. Four women did not list any magazines. Eight of the women said they did not read any magazines and did not watch television. Mississippi The professional and semi-professional women interviewed during the present year, along with those interviewed previously, use social networking sites (e.g., Facebook), e-mail, Twitter, CNN and other news sites, iVillage.com, and WebMD to deal with issues relating to balancing work, family, and personal issues. As an example, one participant is the parent of an adult child with autism. She has found a community of parents with autistic children on Facebook, and she regularly communicates with the other parents there. If a magazine headline caught their eye, they would purchase and read the magazine for tips on balancing work and family. These women reported buying magazines because of interest in one or more articles, rather than because the magazines were geared toward African American women per se. Some magazines mentioned were Glamour, Shape, & Working Mother. Working-class women in the present study reported using media for entertainment purposes only, and mostly watched popular prime-time shows (e.g., CSI, Law and Order, Greys Anatomy, Dancing with the Stars, American Idol, etc.). These women preferred to rely on trial-and-error learning instead of outside sources to help with role overload issues. In the words of one participant, Just trial and error, because you know when you feel like youre grown and & an adult woman takes on the responsibility&. New Mexico Preliminary data from the focus groups seem to suggest that working class Latinas do not use print media on a regular basis. Also, television and the internet seem to be intermittent sources used to obtain information on meeting challenges of work, family and personal issues. Our data from the focus groups continue to suggest that working class Latinas do not use print media on a regular basis. Also, television and the internet seem to be intermittent sources used to obtain information on meeting challenges of work, family and personal issues. This is primarily due to the perceived lack of time to utilize these outlets. Our data from the focus groups continue to suggest that working class Latinas do not use print media on a regular basis. Also, television and the internet seem to be intermittent sources used to obtain information on meeting challenges of work, family and personal issues. This is primarily due to the perceived lack of time to utilize these outlets. Wisconsin Our data from the focus groups continue to suggest that professional women are often frustrated when viewing television as an information source on a regular basis. Frequent advertisements and interruptions within the television shows and news programs were a source of discontent for the professional women. The findings also indicate that professional women are more likely to use the internet or print media to gain information. OBJECTIVE 3 Minnesota In progress. Mississippi In progress; a comment/suggestion I have here relates to the sources identified by the professional and semi-professional women, as well as the professional women interviewed at other sites. A few years ago, the comment by researchers was that these women are not using mediawell, at least the Hispanic and African American women professional women appear to be using media; however, the media these women use is not what was conceptualized in the original proposal for W-1167. The media mentioned in the proposal involved traditional sources such as womens magazines and other print media, whereas our respondents appear to be using social media and other internet sources. Perhaps we could examine these new media sources for messages. New Mexico In progress Wisconsin In progress OBJECTIVE 4 Minnesota In progress Mississippi In progress; The finding that professional African American women prefer to use the Internet and social networking sources is consistent with findings of previous research on educational modes for FLE. The investigators found that professional women preferred the self-study method, in which they preferred to read materials on their own, to a traditional face-to-face parenting class, which involved lecture, discussion, and demonstrations (which were preferred by working-class women). Internet searching may be a form of self-study. In terms of the working-class women in my study, they may not be resistant to our help when they indicate a preference for trial-and-error learning; rather, these women may be exercising agencyin other words, not seeking help outside the home, and taking all responsibility in the home, may be a way to regain power. FLE for these women, then, should focus on teaching women how to advocate for themselves and may be more successful if a peer education approach is taken. New Mexico In progress  part of publications being written. Wisconsin In progress

Media appearance: 3/13/08WCBI, local CBS affiliate, discussing family time for weekly lifestyles segment. Papers Presented at Scholarly Meetings D. Del Campo, R. Del Campo. Understanding Work, Family and Personal Issues for Latina Women. Annual Meeting of the International Association of Business & Economics, (research paper) Las Vegas, NV, October, 2007. Berglund, D., Del Campo, B., Del Campo, D., & Del Campo, R. The changing landscape of American women: Work, family, and personal fulfillment. Poster presented at the NCFR annual conference in San Francisco, CA. November, 2009. Del Campo, D. & Del Campo, R. Latinas: Understanding Work, Family & Personal issues. Pittsburgh, PA, Annual Meeting of the National Council on Family Relations. (poster presentation) November 6-10, 2007. Cornwell, Z. Latinas: Their Perceptions of the Division of Labor and parenting. New Mexico Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Annual meeting, Las Cruces, NM, April 2010. Publications Del Campo, D. & Del Campo, R. (2007). Understanding work, family and personal issues for Latina women. Proceedings of the International Association of Business & Economics, Las Vegas, NV, October, 2007. Del Campo, D.S., Del Campo, R.G. & Del Campo, R.L. (2008). Work, Family, and Personal Fulfillment Issues of Professional and Working Class Hispanic Women. Proceedings of The National Society of Hispanic MBAs Conference & Career Expo, Inaugural Research Forum, Atlanta, GA. October, 2008. (refereed). Del Campo, R.G., Del Campo, D.S. & Del Campo, R.L. (2009). Work, Family, and Personal Fulfillment Issues of Professional and Working Class Hispanic Women. The Business Journal of Hispanic Research. Del Campo, R.G., Del Campo, D.S. & Del Campo, R.L. (2009). Work, Family, and Personal Fulfillment Issues of Professional and Working Class Hispanic Women. The Business Journal of Hispanic Research. Vol. 3 No. 1, p.48-52. Reprinted in Hispanic MBA Magazine. Spring, 2010. Duran, L., & Del Campo, R.G. (2010). The Influence of Family Obligations on the Job Performance of Professional Hispanic Women. The Business Journal of Hispanic Research. Vol. 4 No. 1. p. 18-21. Duran, L.R., Del Campo, R.G., Vaillancourt, K.T., Del Campo, R.L. & Del Campo, D.S. (2009). Comparing strategies for work-family balance and personal fulfillment of working-class and professional Latinas. Proceedings of The National Society of Hispanic MBAs Conference & Career Expo, 2nd Annual Research Forum, Minneapolis, MN October, 2009. Theses/Dissertations Cornwell, Z. Written proposal, approved. Latinas: Their Perceptions of the Division of Labor and parenting. Under Review  note: these have as not yet been submitted for review. They will be during the last year of the project. Book Chapter on Latinas balancing work and family. Concept HAS BEEN accepted by the editors: Blancero, D.M. & Del Campo, R.G. (eds.) (2011). Hispanics @ Work: A Collection of Research, Theory and Application. Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers. Journal article  based upon thesis (Zoë Cornwell)