Masters Theses

Date of Award

12-1971

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Agricultural and Extension Education

Major Professor

Cecil E. Carter Jr., Horace C. Smith

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the relation between Union County, Tennessee homemakers' use of recommended budgeting and record keeping practices and their selected personal and family characteristics. Eighty-six homemakers were included in the study. The sample was a stratified random selection made from a list of families served by the three post offices in the county. The interview schedule was designed to gather information concerning the homemakers' 11 personal and family characteristics and their use of 13 budgeting and record keeping practices. Interviews were conducted during the fall of 1970. The independent variables were the 11 personal and family characteristics and the dependent variable was the homemakers' total practice adoption scores. The homemakers were classified into high or low practice adoption groups according to their practice adoption scores. Homemakers in the high group were those whose scores were above the mean score and homemakers in the low group had scores below the mean score. Each of the budgeting and record keeping practices was subdi-vided into levels of performance for the purpose of giving weighted scores to each level. The levels of performance considered by most authorities to be most essential to good management of family finances were weighted highest; less desirable levels of performance were listed and scored in descending order. The sum of the weighted scores on all 13 practices gave a total practice adoption score for all budgeting and record keeping practices and comprised Section I of the study. The budgeting practice adoption scores and the record keeping practice adoption scores were tabulated separately and comprised Sections II and III of the study. Information from the data were computed at The University of Tennessee Computing Center. Chi square computations which achieved the .05 level of probability were accepted as being statistically significant. The major findings were organized into three sections correspond-ing to the analysis of data. The first section presented findings concerning the relation between Union County homemakers' total practice adoption scores on all practices and their personal and family character-istics. The Union County homemakers' total practice adoption scores on all budgeting and record keeping practices were significantly related to the following personal and family characteristics: (1) ages of the homemakers, (2) ages of the homemakers' husbands, and (3) employment status of the homemakers' husbands. The data indicated that the observed significant relations were in the following directions: 1. Homemakers who had high total practice adoption scores on all budgeting and record keeping practices were younger than those who had lower total practice adoption scores. 2. Homemakers who had high total practice adoption scores on all budgeting and record keeping practices had husbands who were younger than those homemakers who had lower total practice adoption scores. 3. Homemakers who had high total practice adoption scores on all budgeting and record keeping practices had husbands who were employed full-time off the farm. Statistical analysis showed that the following personal and family characteristics were not significantly related to Union County homemakers' total practice adoption scores on all budgeting and record keeping practices: (1) educational levels of the homemakers, (2) employment status of the homemakers, (3) educational level of the husbands of the homemakers, (4) family income of the homemakers, (5) home ownership status of the homemakers, (6) sources of homemaking informa-tion used by the homemaker, (7) number of organizations in which the homemaker was a member, and (8) the kinds of recreational activities participated in by family members. Although the homemakers' total practice adoption scores on all budgeting and record keeping practices were not significantly related to the homemakers' personal and family characteristics named above, the data did indicate a strong tendency for some of the characteristics to be related. Homemakers who had high practice adoption scores on all budgeting and record keeping practices tended to: (1) be those who were better educated, (2) be unemployed outside the home, (3) have higher incomes, and (4) be making payments on their homes. Union County homemakers' practice adoption scores on the budgeting practices (Section II of the Study) were significantly related only to the number of school grades completed by the homemakers. Homemakers with high practice adoption scores on budgeting had completed more grades in school than had those with low budgeting practice adoption scores. Statistical analysis showed that the homemakers' practice adoption scores on budgeting were not significantly related to the following personal and family characteristics: (I) ages of the homemakers, (2) employment status of the homemakers, (3) ages of the homemakers' husbands, (4) education of the homemakers' husbands, (5) employment status of the homemakers' husbands, (6) family income of the homemakers, (7) home ownership status of the homemakers, (8) sources of homemaking information used by the homemaker, (9) homemakers' partici-pation in clubs or organizations, and (10) recreational activities of family members. Although the homemakers' practice adoption scores on budgeting were not significantly related to the homemakers' personal and family characteristics listed above, the data indicated a tendency for some of the factors to be related in the following directions: Homemakers who had high practice adoption scores on budgeting tended also to (1) be younger, (2) be unemployed, (3) have husbands who were younger, (4) have husbands who had completed more grades in school, (5) have husbands who were employed full-time off the farm, (6) be making payments on their homes, and (7) to participate more in clubs and organizations than did the homemakers who had low budgeting practice adoption scores. Union County homemakers' record keeping practice adoption scores (Section III of the study) were not significantly related to any of their personal and family characteristics. However, the data indicated a tendency for homemakers who had high record keeping practice adoption scores to also (1) be younger, (2) have completed more school grades, (3) be unemployed outside the home, (4) have husbands who were employed full-time off the farm, (5) have higher family incomes, and (6) be paying for their homes. Implications and suggestions for further studies were also made.

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