Mental health and polygamy: The Syrian case

AIM: To examine the psychological, self-esteem (SE), family function, marital satisfaction, life satisfaction and degree of agreement with the practice of polygamy among polygamous women with a control group from monogamous women in Syria.METHODS: Convenience sample of 136 women, 64 of whom were wives in polygamous marriages and 72 were wives in monogamous marriages participated in this study. A snowball method of sampling was used, conducted by undergraduate local female students trained to collect data according to culturally competent methods. The following research instruments were deployed: the symptoms checklist-90, the Rosenberg SE, the Life Satisfaction, family function and marital satisfaction.RESULTS: Findings revealed that women in polygamous marriages experienced lower SE, less life satisfaction, less marital satisfaction and more mental health symptomatology than women in monogamous marriages. Many of the mental health symptoms were different; noteworthy were elevated somatization, depression, hostility and psychoticism and their general severity index was higher. Furthermore, “first wife syndrome” was examined in polygamous families, comparing first with second and third wives in polygamous marriages. Findings indicated that first wives reported on more family problems, less SE, more anxiety, more paranoid ideation, and more psychoticism than second and third wives.CONCLUSION: These results are best understood through consideration of the socio-cultural and economic realities facing these women. Implications for mental health practice, policy and further research are discussed.     

A comparison of family functioning, life and marital satisfaction, and mental health of women in polygamous and monogamous marriages

BACKGROUND: A considerable body of research concludes that the polygamous family structure has an impact on children's and wives' psychological, social and family functioning. AIMS: The present study is among the first to consider within the same ethno-racial community such essential factors as family functioning, life satisfaction, marital satisfaction and mental health functioning among women who are in polygamous marriages and women who are in monogamous marriages. METHOD: A sample of 352 Bedouin-Arab women participated in this study: 235 (67%) were in a monogamous marriage and 117 (33%) were in a polygamous marriage. RESULTS: Findings reveal differences between women in polygamous and monogamous marriages. Women in polygamous marriages showed significantly higher psychological distress, and higher levels of somatisation, phobia and other psychological problems. They also had significantly more problems in family functioning, marital relationships and life satisfaction. CONCLUSION: The article calls on public policy and social service personnel to increase public awareness of the significance of polygamous family structures for women's wellbeing.     

Mental health aspects of Turkish women from polygamous versus monogamous families

BACKGROUND: Polygamy is illegal in Turkey, but is common among rural villagers in the southeastern region. Polygamous marriage may have a negative effect on the wives involved. AIM: The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of the relationship between psychiatric disorder and polygamous marriage. METHOD: The mental status of 42 senior and 46 junior wives from polygamous marriages and 50 wives from monogamous marriages was evaluated using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I) and Somatoform Dissociation Questionnaire (SDQ). RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference among senior, junior and monogamous wives in terms of the prevalence of somatization disorder. The prevalence of somatization disorder was the highest in polygamous senior wives. The mean total SDQ scores differed significantly among the three groups. It was the highest in senior wives. CONCLUSIONS: It is clear that the participants from polygamous families, especially senior wives, reported more psychological distress. It is essential to increase awareness of the significance of polygamous family structures among psychiatrists and other therapists.     

A Comparison Study of Psychological,Family Function Marital and Life Satisfactions of Polygamous and Monogamous Women in Jordan

This study surveyed a 2009 convenience sampling of 199 women, 93 of whom were first (or senior) wives in polygamous marriages and 106 were wives in monogamous marriages. We deployed the McMaster Family Assessment Device (FAD), ENRICH marital satisfaction questionnaire, SCL-90 mental health symptoms checklist, Rosenberg self-esteem (SE) scale, and Diener, Emmons, Larsen, and Griffin life satisfaction scale, a basic sociodemographic scale, including attitudes towards polygamy. Women from polygamous families experienced more problems in family functioning, marital relations, and reported low self-esteem, less satisfaction with life, and more somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, paranoid ideation, psychoticism and their general severity index was higher (GSI). More women in polygamous marriages agreed with the practice of polygamy, as compared to their monogamous counterparts. The conclusion considers implications for mental health practice, policy, and further research.     

The relationship between monogamous/polygamous family structure and the mental health of bedouin Arab adolescents

Previous studies of polygamy and child mental health have primarily focused on younger children. The present studies are among the first to focus on adolescents. The first study involved 210 randomly selected Bedouin Arab adolescents (mean age 15.9), who were administered instruments assessing their family environment and mental health. The second study involved 182 Bedouin Arab adolescents in which the student participants completed a single instrument about themselves and in which the teachers of the students completed the Teachers' Report Form of the Child Behaviour Checklist by Achenbach. The Bedouin Arab adolescents fell into two groups: (a) adolescents in monogamous family structures and (b) adolescents in polygamous family structures. The findings of the first study suggest that the two groups did not differ significantly in the majority of the assessed variables, even though there were significant differences obtained between groups for 4 of the 13 assessed variables. The two groups did not differ significantly in the second study. Results were discussed in terms of their cultural and developmental significance.     

Emotional changes in pregnancy and early puerperium among the Yoruba women of Nigeria

A randomly selected clinic population of 400 pregnant women in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, were interviewed for complaints of psychological disorders during the last trimester of pregnancy and the post-partum period. The study shows a considerable degree of psychological disturbances during pregnancy which later decreased significantly during the post-partum. While the complaints of worrying, guilt-feeling, nausea and vomiting and "heat in-the-head", were significantly more common in younger women, insomnia and anorexia were more common in older women. The incidence of psychological complaints among the women decreased with increasing parity. There was no significant difference in the incidence between women with monogamous and polygamous marriages.     

Women of polygamous marriages in an inpatient psychiatric service in Kuwait

The practice of polygamy, although varying from culture to culture, is widespread in many areas of the world. In Kuwait, for example, 8 to 12.5% of all marriages contracted are polygamous. Although sociologists and anthropologists, as well as common sense, have suggested that a polygamous marriage may have a negative effect on the wives involved, an extensive literature search failed to uncover any psychiatric research that attempts to examine this situation or objectively delineates possible psychiatric sequelae. The present study was a pilot effort to determine whether Kuwaiti wives of polygamous marriages were disproportionately represented in the inpatient psychiatric as opposed to the general population. A second purpose was to determine the extent of the relationship between psychiatric disorder and marital situation. Preliminary data indicated that the percentage of wives of polygamous marriages was significantly greater in the inpatient psychiatric population than in the general population of Kuwait, as reflected in the 1975 census. In addition, the results suggested a relationship between the nature of psychiatric disorder and the marital situation. Alternate explanations of the data are advanced, and the need for controlled future studies outlined.     

Comparaison des expériences dissociatives à l'adolescence entre un groupe de collégiens et un groupe clinique

Dissociation involves alterations in consciousness, memory and identity, as well as disruptions in the perception of time and the environment. They contain an inability to remember aspects of one’s life, the experience of feeling oneself in an unfamiliar situation, feelings of unreality, feeling absorbed or completely lost in an activity, and feeling of being detached or disconnected from oneself. These experiences are conceptualized as existing on a continuum ranging from non-clinical conditions to pathological dissociation. Dissociatives experiences are relatively common in the general population, occur equally often in American male and female subjects, and tend to be reported less frequently with age. Data of these experiences are unknown in French adolescent subjects. In 1994, the DSM-IV deleted the notion of hysteria and neurosis and keeps only the notion of dissociative disorders. They included now the five following categories: dissociative amnesia, dissociative fugue, depersonalization disorder, dissociative identity disorder, dissociative disorder not otherwise specified (including derealization). The purpose of this study will compare the frequency of dissociative disorders between a sample of normal adolescent population and a clinical sample of adolescents. Further, results will be compared to the theoric structure of DES’s components to understand differences of dissociative experiences between the two populations. Clinical sample (N = 55) is made up of French adolescents aged 12-17 (mean age = 14.6; 36.4% is female population). Subjects were streaming from several pedopsychiatric unities. Normal sample (N = 96) is made up French adolescents aged 13-17 (mean age = 15.1; 51% is female population). Subjects were streaming from a secondary school. The screening tool, which was used is the dissociative experiences scale, a 28-item patient questionnaire regarding various dissociative symptoms. The subject is asked to indicate the percentage of time, to the nearest 5%, that particular symptom is experienced. The score is made by adding the various percentages and finding a mean that is expressed in numbers from 0 to 100. The mean score obtained is 26.15% for secondary school pupils sample and 19.24% for clinical sample. Comparison of the theoric three-factor solution (imaginative absorption, depersonalization-derealization, and dissociative amnesia) gives the following datas: mean score for each factor is, respectively: imaginative absorption = 32.72% for secondary school pupils group, 19.46% for clinical group; dissociative amnesia = 23.97% for secondary school pupils group, 18.31% for clinical group; depersonalization-derealization = 20.45% for secondary school pupils group, 19.65% for clinical group. DES reliability was studied through computation of Cronbach’s coefficient (0.84 for secondary school pupils and 0.92 for clinical sample). Results are paradoxical: reliability is good for the two samples and results are highest for non-clinical population, particularly for imaginative absorption component. An interpretation of this phenomena is, from the point of view of psychopathology and psychodynamics processes at adolescence, that the adolescent who is afflicted and feels psychic pain, is in difficulty to be in a good introspective capacity and to answer thinly to this sort of scale. Suffering adolescents tend to reduce score at DES, facing their own anxiety to be mad or abnormal. The authors mention so that an adolescent in a psychic good health is more able to develop an internal psychic world and can be involved to frequent moments of imaginative absorption, especially for female population (results show a significative difference).     

Mother-child discrepancy in perceived parental control and adolescent filial piety in poor single-mother families

Based on a sample of 432 poor Chinese single-mother families (mean age of adolescents = 13.7 years; 51.2% girls; mean age of mothers = 43.5 years) in Hong Kong, the interaction effect of mother-reported and adolescent-reported maternal control on filial piety of Chinese adolescents was examined. Results of polynomial multiple regression analyses showed that the interaction between mother-reported and adolescent-reported maternal control predicted perceived filial piety in adolescents. At high levels of mother-reported maternal control, high adolescent-perceived parental control was associated with higher filial piety. At low levels of mother-reported maternal control, filial piety increased initially and then decreased when adolescents reported higher levels of maternal control. Using multiple group analyses, these associations were found to be stable across gender and age. The present findings provide insights on how congruencies and discrepancies between mother-reported and adolescent-reported maternal control predict filial piety of Chinese adolescents growing up in poor single-mother families.     

The rate of consanguineous marriages among parents of schizophrenic patients in the Arab Bedouin population in Southern Israel

Consanguinity may contribute to the incidence of schizophrenia in offspring despite the usually accepted polygenic model of schizophrenia inheritance. Bedouin Arab families in southern Israel have a high rate of cousin marriages as do families throughout most Arab societies. We studied consanguinity in the parents of schizophrenic patients admitted in a defined catchment area of southern Israel, compared to a control group of parents of all infants born to Bedouin mothers in this catchment area. There was a small but significant increase in the rate of cousin marriages among the parents of schizophrenia patients compared to parents of infant controls. These results are consistent with claims that inbreeding can contribute to the incidence of schizophrenia even as a polygenic illness. However, the absence of a better matched control group limits confidence in the results.     

The role of intergenerational similarity and parenting in adolescent self-criticism: An actor–partner interdependence model

Research investigating the development of adolescent self-criticism has typically focused on the role of either parental self-criticism or parenting. This study used an actor–partner interdependence model to examine an integrated theoretical model in which achievement-oriented psychological control has an intervening role in the relation between parental and adolescent self-criticism. Additionally, the relative contribution of both parents and the moderating role of adolescent gender were examined. Participants were 284 adolescents (M = 14 years, range = 12–16 years) and their parents (M = 46 years, range = 32–63 years). Results showed that only maternal self-criticism was directly related to adolescent self-criticism. However, both parents' achievement-oriented psychological control had an intervening role in the relation between parent and adolescent self-criticism in both boys and girls. Moreover, one parent's achievement-oriented psychological control was not predicted by the self-criticism of the other parent.     

Contingent self-worth moderates the relationship between school stressors and psychological stress responses

This study examined the moderating role of contingent self-worth on the relationships between school stressors and psychological stress responses among Japanese adolescents. A total of 371 Japanese junior high school students (184 boys and 187 girls, M_age = 12.79 years, SD = 0.71) completed the Japanese version of the Self-Worth Contingency Questionnaire and a mental health checklist at two points separated by a two-month interval. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were then used to determine whether contingent self-worth moderated the relationship between school stressors and psychological stress responses. The results indicated that, when psychological stress responses were controlled for at Time 1, contingent self-worth did not predict the psychological stress responses at Time 2. However, a two-way interaction between contingent self-worth and stressors was found to significantly influence psychological stress responses, thus indicating that stressors had a stronger impact on psychological stress responses among those with high contingent self-worth compared to those with low contingent self-worth.     

Understanding the perception of stakeholders in reducing adolescent-to-parent violence/aggression

IntroductionAdolescent-to-parent violence/aggression (APV/A) is an understudied yet increasingly common social problem for adolescents and families, particularly those involved in the juvenile justice system. The current study focused on improving interventions for this population by gathering qualitative data from stakeholders to inform treatment targets.MethodsParticipants (N = 23) comprised of court professionals (n = 7), parents/guardians (n = 9), and their male adolescent children (n = 7) in the United States. Parent and adolescent participants were recruited through monthly court-mandated domestic violence education classes offered by the juvenile court. Parent/guardian participants were between the ages of 38 and 77 and consisted of four males and five females. Adolescents were between the ages of 14 and 17. Court professional participants consisted of judges, probation officers, and court psychologists. Semi-structured interviews were analyzed qualitatively using grounded theory.ResultsResults indicated that, from the perspective of key stakeholders, an effective intervention to reduce APV/A likely involves a two-pronged approach: (1) address specific and theoretically modifiable emotional, behavioral, and psychological factors at the adolescent-level; and (2) induce change in the family system by addressing environmental barriers to seeking treatment and by creating positive family relationships.ConclusionsThe present study aimed to gather the perspectives of court professionals, adolescents, and parents/guardians regarding the development of an effective intervention for APV/A-involved families. This study represents the first step toward the development of a feasible, acceptable, sustainable, and effective intervention for adolescents and their families who are involved in the juvenile justice system due to APV/A.     

Prevalence of chronic diseases in adolescents with intellectual disability

Valid community-based data on the prevalence of chronic diseases in adolescents (12–18 years) with intellectual disability (ID-adolescents) are scarce. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence rates and the nature of chronic diseases in a population of ID-adolescents and to compare them with the rates among adolescents in the general population. Therefore, we obtained data on 1083 ID-adolescents attending secondary schools, day care centers or living in residential centers fully covering one region of the Netherlands. Parents of the adolescents completed a questionnaire about the occurrence of chronic diseases in their child during the previous 12 months and about background characteristics. The questionnaire was derived from the Dutch National Permanent Survey on Living Conditions questionnaire periodically administered in a representative population sample (n ≈ 10,000). Prevalence rates of chronic diseases in ID-adolescents were compared with those in adolescents in the Dutch general population. Among ID-adolescents, high prevalence rates of a wide range of chronic diseases were found. The five most prevalent were: ADHD (21.1%), PDD-NOS (14.0%), dyslexia (13.9%), migraine or chronic headache (12.7%), and autistic disorder (10.9%). These prevalence rates were all higher (p < 0.05) than among adolescents in the general population. Of all ID-adolescents, 62.9% was reported to have at least one chronic disease. The burden of chronic diseases among ID-adolescents is very high, showing a high need for adequate care. These high prevalence rates should alert policymakers and clinicians regarding the widespread of chronic diseases among ID-adolescents.     

The impact of parental disruption on Kuwaiti adolescents: a comparative study on children from intact and broken families

Divorce, which was once a rare phenomenon in Kuwait, now occurs in nearly one third of all marriages. The purpose of this study was to compare the differences in self-esteem, locus of control, and attitude toward parents between Kuwaiti adolescents from divorced and intact families. The results revealed that adolescents from divorced families showed higher self-esteem than adolescents from intact families. Within the divorced families, females showed higher self-esteem compared to males. There was no difference in locus of control between divorced and intact families nor were there any gender differences. Divorced fathers were evaluated negatively by their children whereas divorced mothers were evaluated positively. These data are believed to be the first of its kind from divorced families in Kuwait or the Middle East.     

Attachment and psychological well-being among adolescents with and without disabilities in Kenya: The mediating role of identity formation

The current study is aimed at evaluating the relationship between attachment and identity development, and their influence on psychological well-being in adolescents with and without disabilities in Kenya. The sample was composed of 296 adolescents (151 with disabilities and 145 without any disability). The mean age in our sample was 16.84 years (SD = 1.75). Adolescents with disabilities had significantly lower scores in identity formation, paternal attachment, and life satisfaction. A path model indicated that identity formation partially mediated the relationship between secure attachment and psychological well-being. Our findings indicate that both parent and peer attachment play an important role in the identity formation and psychological well-being of adolescents in Kenya, irrespective of a disabling condition. A multigroup analysis indicated that while the structure of the relationship between variables held for groups, the pattern and strength of the relationships differed. Implications for practice, especially the guidance and counseling services in schools, are discussed.     

Psychological factors and weight problems in adolescents. The role of eating problems,emotional problems,and personality traits: the Young-HUNT study

Background  

The associations between psychological factors and weight problems in adolescents are not conclusive. We studied associations between psychological factors, including personality and weight problems, in an adolescent population. In addition, we examined the same psychological factors as predictors for change in weight categories during adolescence.     

‘That is why we raise children’: African American fathers' race-related concerns for their adolescents and parenting strategies

IntroductionThe current study highlights the voices and perspectives of African American fathers, with specific emphasis on their race-related concerns for their adolescents as well as how these concerns guide their parenting strategies.MethodTwenty-four African American fathers participated in 1.5–3 h long focus group interviews. All fathers (M = 42.24 years, SD = 6.93) resided in a mid-sized city in the Southeastern United States. All participants were either biological fathers (n = 20) or non-biological (n = 4) fathers. Fathers were residential (76%) and non-residential (24%), with at least one adolescent child (M = 14.32 years, SD = 5.80; Range: 10–16 years). Fifty-eight percent of fathers (n = 14) had both male and female children, 29% had only female children (n = 7) and 13% had only male children (n = 3). After codebook development and refinement, key themes were explored using a theoretical thematic analysis.ResultsIn response to race-related and other social risks for African American adolescents, fathers articulated a number of parenting motivations and intentions: 1) fathers' own racial experiences; 2) negative media images of Black youth and families (e.g. media influences, negative stereotypes, and portrayals of Black fathers); 3) preserving families through community support; 4) developing awareness of discrimination and coping strategies; 5) cultivating positive personal and cultural identities; and 6) achievement as necessity. Also, gender emerged as a critical lens for African American fathers’ concerns and parenting strategies.ConclusionOverall, our investigation highlights African American fathers’ own meaning-making around concerns for their adolescents as well as how they shape parenting processes.     

Prevalence and comorbidity of mental disorders among adolescents living in residential youth care

Most adolescents are placed in residential youth care (RYC) because of severe psychosocial strains and child maltreatment, which represent risk factors for developing mental disorders. To plan RYC units and ensure that residents receive evidence-based psychiatric interventions, it is necessary to obtain reliable and valid prevalence estimates of mental disorders in this population. However, there is a lacuna of research on diagnoses derived from standardized clinical interviews. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and comorbidity of mental disorders applying diagnostic interviews in an entire population of adolescents living in RYC in Norway. All young people in RYC were invited to participate in the study. Eighty-six RYC institutions with 601 eligible adolescents were included and 400 adolescents, 12–20 years old, participated in the study, yielding a response rate of 67 %. Anonymous Child Behaviour Checklist scores for 141 (70 %) of the declining residents were also available, allowing diagnoses according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) for 541 youths to be estimated. Diagnoses were assessed by trained interviewers with the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Assessment interview (CAPA). Seventy-six point two per cent (71.5–80.8 CI 95 %) of adolescents received at least one 3-month DSM-IV diagnosis. Prevalence rates for internalizing psychiatric disorders were higher than for behavioural disorders. Comorbidity was high between these two groups. Mental disorders were prevalent among children and youth in RYC. Our results create major concerns and challenge the existing organization of the RYC system.