Homework help: Family Communication and Contemporary Times

[Dual Cortex]

Yeah... homework help. It's been frustrating; I can't find anything.
Ok, here's what it's about:

For my english class ( [-o< ) I'm supposed to create a synthesis question similar to those in AP (advanced placement) Exams. These questions start out with an introductory paragraph followed by many pages of sources. Sources have to come from newspapers, books, speeches, reliable websites,(not a blog from Johny in Tawakatee, VT, or some geocities page). These sources are used to answer the question: the questions ask you to agree, disagree, or qualify a (redefine) a somewhat controversial topic.

Well, I didn't get to help decide the topic in my group, so my class mates came up with a hardy one; it goes something like this:
"Has the relation among the members of a family improved compared to older generations?" ( 50's - ~80's)."

As you can see, this is question isn't balanced ... but anyway, my class mates asked me to find some sources (at least 2, online is OK) that support the side that believes family relations have improved.

I'm not having much luck, nor do I read many parenting/relations/etc. news so that I can come up with something from the top of my head.
So far I've only found these:

The Internet and other modern technologies have improved the lives of users, a new BT Total Broadband study claims.
http://www.nomensa.com/nomensa/live/news/industry-news/2007/3/internet-improves-family-life.html

The internet improves Americans’ capacity to maintain their social networks and get help
http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/121/press_release.asp

So, I'm making this thread to see if anyone here has read any articles, etc., that agrees with the sources I'm looking for to replace/add-to the ones I've found. Thanks to anyone who posts something!

[Dual Cortex]

*bump* ... changed the title since the "Homework Help" seemed to scare people off.

[eljalill]

Mybe these help?
Have not read them thoroughly or so... but might still be a start.

Patterns of Interaction in Family Relationships and the Development of Identity Exploration in Adolescence
Harold D. Grotevant, Catherine R. Cooper
Child Development, Vol. 56, No. 2, Family Development and the Child (Apr., 1985), pp. 415-428

Coping with Family Transitions: Winners, Losers, and Survivors
E. Mavis Hetherington
Child Development, Vol. 60, No. 1 (Feb., 1989), pp. 1-14

Family statistics and trends
Trends in couple dissolution
Ruth Weston and Lixia Qu
The first Family Relationships Quarter http://www.aifs.gov.au/afrc/pubs/newsletter/newsletter2.html#family

[Dual Cortex]

Thanks for the sources, I'll try to find the books at the local library.
The site you gave me has great sources, but they all seem to go against what I'm supposed to find. Eh... this topic plainly sucks.
Again, thanks.

[daynah]

http://www.psychologymatters.org/maritaled.html

We didn't have marriage education counseling programs in the 50s, in the 70s (as said by this article) we do, and it's supposed to help communication in families and help families stay together. Creative AP writers could warp this either way I think (and that's the point of these essays, to turn each source to say what you want, like a good statistic ;) )

[pupeeler]

Yeah... homework help. It's been frustrating; I can't find anything.
Ok, here's what it's about:

For my english class ( [-o< ) I'm supposed to create a synthesis question similar to those in AP (advanced placement) Exams. These questions start out with an introductory paragraph followed by many pages of sources. Sources have to come from newspapers, books, speeches, reliable websites,(not a blog from Johny in Tawakatee, VT, or some geocities page). These sources are used to answer the question: the questions ask you to agree, disagree, or qualify a (redefine) a somewhat controversial topic.

Well, I didn't get to help decide the topic in my group, so my class mates came up with a hardy one; it goes something like this:
"Has the relation among the members of a family improved compared to older generations?" ( 50's - ~80's)."

As you can see, this is question isn't balanced ... but anyway, my class mates asked me to find some sources (at least 2, online is OK) that support the side that believes family relations have improved.

I'm not having much luck, nor do I read many parenting/relations/etc. news so that I can come up with something from the top of my head.
So far I've only found these:

The Internet and other modern technologies have improved the lives of users, a new BT Total Broadband study claims.
http://www.nomensa.com/nomensa/live/news/industry-news/2007/3/internet-improves-family-life.html

The internet improves Americans’ capacity to maintain their social networks and get help
http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/121/press_release.asp

So, I'm making this thread to see if anyone here has read any articles, etc., that agrees with the sources I'm looking for to replace/add-to the ones I've found. Thanks to anyone who posts something!

This sounds wonderful. Just so you know, there's a major cellular phone carrier in the U.S. that has a TV ad depicting a family around the dinner table. The daughter complains when her younger brother reveals that he has the same top 5 people on his speed dial list as her. Then a parent casually replies, "Maybe you should have uglier friends." This could be an addition to your testimonials if you figure out a way to record/access U.S. broadcast. Wish I could do more, but my hubby asks me to yield to his tv tinkering.

[Dual Cortex]

http://www.psychologymatters.org/maritaled.html

We didn't have marriage education counseling programs in the 50s, in the 70s (as said by this article) we do, and it's supposed to help communication in families and help families stay together. Creative AP writers could warp this either way I think (and that's the point of these essays, to turn each source to say what you want, like a good statistic ;) )

Thanks for this one :). This type of article which as you said could be used to warp the essay either way are usually of preference by my teacher.