Financial Stress,Parental Depressive Symptoms,Parenting Practices,and Children's Externalizing Problem Behaviors: Underlying Processes

This study examined the relationships among financial stress encountered by families, parents' social support, parental depressive symptoms, parenting practices, and children's externalizing problem behaviors to advance our understanding of the processes by which family financial stress is associated with children's problem behaviors. We also tested moderated mediation to investigate if these relationships differed depending on children's characteristics. The data were drawn from 290 predominantly rural families with young children who were identified as at risk for the development of serious conduct problems. Using structural equation modeling, we found that the relationship between family income and children's externalizing problem behaviors was mediated by parents' social support, parental depressive symptoms, and parenting practices. The results also showed that the children's levels of aggression severity, academic functioning, and developmental strengths moderated the mediating relationships between family income and parental depressive symptoms and between family income and positive parenting.     

The relationship between children's and adolescents' perceptions of parenting style and internal and external symptoms

Background This study examined the relationship between children’s and adolescents’ external (aggression or delinquent behaviour) and internal (depression and anxiety, somatic complaints or regressive behaviour) symptoms and their perceptions of parenting behaviour. Method Participants were 159 children (83 boys and 76 girls) aged 10–17 years and were categorized into five groups. The two experimental groups included clearly defined externalizing (n = 35) and internalizing (n = 46) children. Two sibling groups and one non‐sibling group served as controls. The five groups were compared for subjective perceptions of maternal and paternal rejection, favouritism and overprotection. Results No effects of age or gender were found. The results revealed that compared with non‐symptomatic children from different families and with non‐symptomatic siblings, both internalizing and externalizing children obtained higher scores on the variables examined. Externalizing children obtained the highest scores, while internalizing children obtained intermediate scores. The sibling comparison data revealed a gap between the perceptions of symptomatic children and their siblings: symptomatic children reported negative parenting practices towards both themselves and their siblings, whereas the opposite was true of sibling reports. The reports suggest that while both internalizing and externalizing symptoms are associated with negative perceptions of the parent–child interaction, this may be particularly the case among externalizing children. Conclusions The importance of perceptions of reality, as opposed to objective circumstances, is discussed in the context of treatment.     

Contextual risk,maternal parenting and adolescent externalizing behaviour problems: the role of emotion regulation

Background The objective of this study was to test if emotion regulation mediates the association between mothers' parenting and adolescents' externalizing behaviour problems (conduct problems and hyperactivity). The parenting dimensions were warmth, psychological control and behavioural control (measured with knowledge, monitoring and discipline). Adjustment was made for contextual risk (measured with the number of proximal adverse life events experienced), gender, age and English as an additional language. Method Data were from a UK community sample of adolescents aged 11–18 from a comprehensive school in a disadvantaged area. Results At the multivariate level, none of the parenting variables predicted hyperactivity, which was associated only with difficulties in emotion regulation, contextual risk and English as a first language. The parenting variables predicting conduct problems at the multivariate level were warmth and knowledge. Knowledge did not predict emotion regulation. However, warmth predicted emotion regulation, which was negatively associated with conduct problems. Contextual risk was a significant predictor of both difficulties in emotion regulation and externalizing behaviour problems. Its effect on conduct problems was independent of parenting and was not via its association with difficulties in emotion regulation. Conclusions The findings add to the evidence for the importance of maternal warmth and contextual risk for both regulated emotion and regulated behaviour. The small maternal control effects on both emotion regulation and externalizing behaviour could suggest the importance of paternal control for adolescent outcomes.     

How Do Outcomes in a Specified Parent Training Intervention Maintain or Wane Over Time?

In a randomized prevention trial, 238 recently separated mothers and their young sons were assigned to either Parent Management Training (PMT) or a comparison group. Families were intensively assessed at baseline and at each 6-month interval through 30 months. To understand the effects of PMT, we first evaluated effect sizes among family variables over time. Second, because observed parenting was the target of PMT, we hypothesized a sequential pattern of structured changes within and between individuals. Using constructs with mismatched sources of data, we conducted a set of latent growth mediational analyses to test hypothesized mechanisms explaining change. Effect sizes indicated that parenting changed first within 12 months, followed by changes in boy behaviors and finally changes in maternal depression within 30 months. Unique follow-up findings indicated that intervention effects on reductions in maternal depression were mediated by reductions in boy externalizing; intervention effects on externalizing were mediated by reductions in boy depression. As expected, increases in effective parenting predicted reductions in child behavior problems. PMT effects on internalizing were direct and indirect, partially mediated by parenting practices. Results are discussed from a system's perspective on PMT amplifiers.     

Child Routines and Self-Regulation Serially Mediate Parenting Practices and Externalizing Problems in Preschool Children

Background

Studies clearly indicate that parenting practices relate to child externalizing behaviors, although the mechanisms underlying this relation are less well understood. There has been limited evaluation of child routines and self-regulation in relation to these variables, and no known studies have evaluated all of these variables simultaneously.

Objective

This study examined child routines and self-regulation as serial mediators of the relations between positive and negative parenting practices (separately) and child externalizing problems among preschool children.

Methods

Participants included 146 maternal caregivers of preschool children who completed measures of their parenting practices and of their child’s daily routines, self-regulation, and externalizing behaviors.

Results

Results demonstrated that both child routines and self-regulation are significant mechanisms through which negative and positive parenting practices relate to externalizing problems in preschoolers, although the temporal sequencing was only upheld with respect to negative parenting. Our findings offer preliminary evidence that child routines may play a critical role in self-regulation development among preschool children, which, in turn, is inversely associated with externalizing behaviors.

Conclusion

Although further study is needed, these findings suggest that child routines and self-regulation development may be key components to incorporate clinically and evaluate empirically among intervention programs designed to prevent early development of behavior problems in preschool children.

     

Temperament,parental personality and parenting stress in relation to socio-emotional development at 51 months

ABSTRACT

This study examined the relevance of infant temperament, parent personality and parenting stress for children’s socio-emotional development, looking in addition for any differences between mothers and fathers. Participants, from a community sample, were 410 mothers and fathers reporting their personality (NEO Personality Inventory), child temperament in the first (Infant Characteristics Questionnaire) and second (Toddler Behavior Assessment Questionnaire) years, parenting stress to 36 months (Parenting Stress Index Short Form) and child behaviour at 51 months (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire). Difficult toddler temperament was associated with more externalizing and internalizing problems. Higher paternal extraversion was associated with more prosocial behaviour whereas lower maternal extraversion was associated with more internalizing problems. For both parents, describing a dysfunctional parent–child relationship was related to more externalizing problems and to less prosocial behaviour, for fathers also to more internalizing problems, which associated for mothers with more parental distress.     

Parenting,Race, and Socioeconomic Status: Links to School Readiness

This study examined the link between socioeconomic status (SES) and school readiness, testing whether parenting (maternal sensitivity and negative behavior/intrusiveness) and financial stress mediated this association and if race moderated these paths. Participants included 164 mother‐child dyads from African American and European American families. Findings supported moderated mediation hypotheses: maternal sensitivity mediated the link between SES and school readiness for European Americans only; maternal negative/intrusive behaviors mediated the link between SES and school readiness for both European Americans and African Americans. These results indicate that the meaning and effects of parenting behaviors can vary by racial groups, and findings obtained for European American families cannot be assumed to apply to ethnic minority families as well. Among the implications of these findings is that programs aimed at increasing school readiness and closing the achievement gap need to be mindful of the cultural context in which children are raised.     

A Longitudinal Study of the Relation Between Depressive Symptomatology and Parenting Practices

This longitudinal study examined whether mothers' depressive symptomatology predicted parenting practices in a sample of 199 mothers of 3‐year‐old children with behavior problems who were assessed yearly until age 6. Higher maternal depressive symptoms were associated with higher overreactivity and laxness and lower warmth when children were 6 years old. Higher maternal depressive symptoms were also related to increases in overreactivity across the preschool years. Moreover, depression and parenting practices (overreactivity and laxness) covaried over time within mothers. These results provide evidence of a strong link between maternal depression and parenting during the preschool years.     

父亲教养方式对儿童双生子行为问题的效应及性别差异

了解父亲教养方式对儿童行为问题的效应,为进一步探寻父亲教养方式与儿童行为问题间的因果关系提供线索.方法 应用双生子研究分析法,收集2002-2013年北京地区和山东地区招募的186名同性别6~12岁双生子作为研究对象,每位被试完成父母教养方式评价量表(EMBU),由父母完成Achenbach儿童行为量表(CBCL)家长问卷.结果 父亲拒绝否认(β=0.148,95%CI=0.011~0.327)会增加男生内化行为问题风险;父亲过分干涉(β=0.185,95%CI=0.023~0.400)、父亲拒绝否认(β=0.173,95%CI=0.035~0.390)、父亲过度保护(β=0.214,95% CI=0.075 ~ 0.623)会增加女生内化行为问题风险;父亲惩罚严厉会增加男生(β=0.126,95%CI=0.035~0.371)和女生(β=0.135,95%CI=0.007~ 0.234)双生子外化行为问题的风险.结论 父亲教养方式与儿童行为问题存在效应关系.应重视父亲教养方式的影响,预防和减少儿童行为问题的发生.     

Family Mediators of the Relation Between Acculturation and Adolescent Mental Health*

Abstract: This study of 175 Mexican‐origin families examined a mediational model linking the linguistic acculturation of mothers and adolescents with a wide array of family mediators and adolescent mental health outcomes. Family linguistic acculturation, a latent construct based on maternal and adolescent acculturation, was positively related to increased family and interparental conflict but was not related to maternal parenting practices. Family conflict mediated the link between acculturation and two adolescent outcomes, conduct problems and depressive symptoms. Family acculturation showed a complex pattern of positive, indirect (mediated) and negative, direct effects on adolescent depressive symptoms. Findings are discussed in relation to traditional cultural values of Mexican heritage families and prevailing theories about why more acculturated Mexican‐origin youth are at increased risk for problem behaviors.     

Parent Training Among Ethnic Minorities: Parenting Practices as Mediators of Change in Child Conduct Problems

In this study, we examined parenting practices as mediators of changes in child conduct problems in ethnic minority families participating in Parent Management Training—Oregon Model (PMTO). The participants included 96 Somali and Pakistani immigrant mothers and their children living in Norway. The families were randomized to PMTO or a waiting‐list control group. Self‐report assessments were made at baseline and after the intervention using standardized measures. A path model suggested that improvements in the child conduct problems were fully mediated by a reduction in harsh maternal discipline and an increase in positive parenting. When the mediation pathways were tested separately, both the reduction in harsh discipline and the increased positive parenting functioned as mediators of the reduction in child conduct problems. These findings emphasize the importance of including components that address the parent's use of both harsh and positive parenting practices when implementing parenting training among ethnic minority families.     

The Association Between Fathers’ Self-assessment of Their Own Parenting and Mothers’ Recognition of Paternal Support: A Municipal-Based Cross-Sectional Study

BackgroundDiscrepancies between parents’ reports of paternal parenting have been gaining attention, but epidemiological evidence is scarce in Asia. This study aimed to clarify agreement/discrepancy between paternal and maternal recognition of paternal parenting and the association between actual paternal parenting time and background factors.MethodsData from couples whose children attended 4-month child health check-ups in Fukushima City were analyzed (N = 509). Based on paternal recognition of paternal parenting (PRPP) and maternal recognition of paternal support (MRPS), couples were classified into four groups. Each group’s paternal household work and parenting time were analyzed. Univariable and multivariable analysis were performed to investigate the association between agreement/discrepancy and background factors of children and parents.ResultsFrequency of positive agreement (PRPP+ and MRPS+) was 83.9%, whereas negative agreement (PRPP− and MRPS−) was 2.6%. As for discrepancy, PRPP+ and MRPS− was 8.4% and PRPP− and MRPS+ was 5.1%. Fathers’ total median parenting time was 2 (weekdays) and 6 (weekends) hours, and showed significant differences among the four groups. Multivariable analysis revealed that compared to positive agreement, maternal mental health condition and pregnancy intention were significantly associated with the discrepancy PRPP+ and MRPS−, paternal mental health condition and marital satisfaction with the discrepancy PRPP− and MRPS+, and maternal mental health condition with negative agreement.ConclusionsWe identified differences in parenting time and mental health characteristics among couples depending on agreement/discrepancy in recognition of paternal parenting. Assessing both parents’ profiles is necessary in clinical practice to promote paternal participation in childcare.Key words: father involvement, coparenting, family relations, parenting time     

History of family dysfunction and perpetration of dating violence by adolescent boys: a longitudinal study.

PURPOSE: To examine whether there is a direct or a mediated association between dysfunctional parental behavior in later childhood and involvement in dating violence in a sample of low socioeconomic-status boys during mid-adolescence. METHODS: Subjects were 717 boys who participated in a longitudinal study. Data collected at six time periods, beginning at age 10 years and covering a span of 8 years, were analyzed. Dysfunctional parental behavior patterns were defined as perceived harsh parenting practices, laxness of monitoring, and interparental conflict witnessed by the subject. Perpetrated psychological and physical abuse in dating, measured at ages 16 and 17 years, and delinquency, measured at age 15 years, served as dependent measures. All instruments were self-report questionnaires. Multiple regression analysis was used in data analysis. RESULTS: Only two variables contributed independently to dating violence. Boys who perceived laxness of monitoring from their parents in their late childhood and reported antisocial behavior at age 15 years, such as delinquency and substance abuse, were at risk of becoming involved in violent dating relationships at age 16 years. Harsh parenting practices from ages 10 to 12 years were also predictors of dating violence. CONCLUSIONS: A direct relationship was found between harsh parenting and antisocial behavior and later dating violence. No support was found for the mediation hypothesis of antisocial behavior, but an indirect influence was noted in association with monitoring.     

Gender Nonconformity, Childhood Rejection, and Adult Attachment: A Study of Gay Men

Several childhood factors are reported to be associated with a homosexual orientation in men, including gender nonconformity and rejection by parents and peers. The purpose of this study was to explore the associations between these childhood factors and attachment anxiety (the tendency to experience anxiety regarding potential loss and rejection in close relationships) and attachment avoidance (the tendency to avoid versus seek out closeness in relationships) in gay and bisexual men. A community sample of 191 gay and bisexual men completed questionnaires and an attachment interview. Gender nonconformity was significantly associated with paternal, maternal, and peer rejection in childhood. In addition, paternal and peer rejection, but not maternal rejection, independently predicted attachment anxiety. Peer rejection and, to a lesser extent, paternal rejection mediated the association between gender nonconformity and attachment anxiety. Finally, peer rejection mediated the association between paternal rejection and attachment avoidance. Findings highlight the role of gender nonconformity in contributing to childhood rejection and the importance of peer relationships in the socialization of gay men.     

Do Positive Parenting Practices Moderate Parental Mental Health and Child Behavior Among Homeless Families?

The social interaction learning framework was used to explore whether positive parenting practices (noncoercive discipline, clear expectations, and praise and incentives) mitigated any effects of parent mental health (psychological distress and parenting stress) on child externalizing behaviors in a predominantly African American sample of homeless parents residing in transitional housing (N = 52, 79.6% female). The results showed that the positive relationship between psychological distress and child behavior was attenuated when parents provided high levels of praise and incentives. In addition, a positive relationship between parenting stress and child behavior existed only when parents transmitted low levels of praise and incentives. No significant findings existed for noncoercive discipline and clear expectations. The results suggest the need to further understand the positive aspects of parenting in the context of homelessness that can promote child adjustment even if parental mental health is compromised.     

Are Negative Peer Influences Domain Specific? Examining the Influence of Peers and Parents on Externalizing and Drug Use Behaviors

Most studies tend to characterize peer influences as either positive or negative. In a sample of 1815 youth from 14 different schools in Caracas, Venezuela, we explored how two types of peer affiliations (i.e., deviant and drug-using peers) differentially mediated the paths from positive parenting to youth’s externalizing behavior and licit and illicit drug use. We used Zero Inflated Poisson models to test the probability of use and the extent of use during the past 12 months. Results suggested that peer influences are domain specific among Venezuelan youth. That is, deviant peer affiliations mediated the path from positive parenting to youth externalizing behaviors, and peer drug-using affiliations mediated the paths to the drug use outcomes. Mediation effects were partial, suggesting that parenting explained unique variance in the outcomes after accounting for both peer variables, gender, and age. We discuss implications for the development of screening tools and for prevention interventions targeting adolescents from different cultures.     

Addendum to “Four-Year Follow-Up of a Randomized Controlled Trial of Triple P Group for Parent and Child Outcomes”

A previous article published in Prevention Science 3 years ago (Heinrichs et al. 2014) presented the results of a randomized controlled trial of the Triple P group program 4 years (FU4) after administration as a universal prevention approach in preschools. The present addendum resolves inconsistencies in outcome reporting (e.g., total scores of scales versus subscale scores) and provides information on measures that were additionally available to analyze further potential effects of the intervention. Effects in secondary outcome domains not reported in Heinrichs et al. (2014) are furthermore analyzed and reported. The original data analyses were varied using a different statistical model in this addendum. Re-analyses supported the original results, including changes in self-reported maternal and paternal positive parenting, in maternal dysfunctional parenting behavior as well as in maternal reports of child behavior. In addition, when analyzing the externalizing and internalizing dimensions, analysis revealed a statistically significant change in externalizing but not internalizing child symptoms. No significant intervention effects were found for secondary outcome domains. Considering important limitations in the study design [such as baseline differences at pre-assessment with mothers from intervention preschools reporting more child behavioral problems prior to introducing the intervention and predominantly non-significant effects from (a) fathers perspective, (b) teacher ratings at 1-year follow up (FU1), and (c) behavioral observations at FU1], we believe that this trial alone cannot be taken as sufficient evidence for a significant and meaningful change in child behavioral problems, which is the ultimate goal of child prevention programs. Therefore, future studies need to replicate and extend upon these results by including larger sample sizes and overcome the discussed limitations.     

Treatment Effects of a Primary Care Intervention on Parenting Behaviors: Sometimes It’s Relative

The goal of this brief report is to demonstrate the utility of quantifying parental discipline practices as relative frequencies in measuring changes in parenting behavior and relations to child behavior following intervention. We explored comparisons across methodological approaches of assessing parenting behavior via absolute and relative frequencies in measuring improvements in parent-reported disciplinary practices (increases in positive parenting practices in response to child behavior; decreases in inconsistent discipline and use of corporal punishment) and child behavior problems. The current study was conducted as part of a larger clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of a collaborative care intervention for behavior problems, ADHD, and anxiety in pediatric primary care practices (Doctor Office Collaborative Care; DOCC). Participants were 321 parent-child dyads (M child age?=?8.00, 65 % male children) from eight pediatric practices that were cluster randomized to DOCC or enhanced usual care (EUC). Parents reported on their own discipline behaviors and child behavior problems. While treatment-related decreases in negative parenting were found using both the absolute and relative frequencies of parenting behaviors, results were different for positive parenting behaviors, which showed decreases when measured as absolute frequencies but increases when measured as relative frequencies. In addition, positive parenting was negatively correlated with child behavior problems when using relative frequencies, but not absolute frequencies, and relative frequencies of positive parenting mediated relations between treatment condition and outcomes. Our findings indicate that the methods used to measure treatment-related change warrant careful consideration.     

Psychological Well‐being in Fathers of Adolescents and Young Adults With Down Syndrome,Fragile X Syndrome,and Autism

The psychological well‐being of fathers of children with developmental disabilities remains poorly understood. The present study examined depressive symptoms, pessimism, and coping in fathers of adolescents and young adults with Down syndrome (DS;n = 59), autism spectrum disorders (ASDs;n = 135), and Fragile X syndrome (n = 46). Fathers of sons or daughters with ASDs reported a higher level of depressive symptoms than the other groups of fathers. Fathers of sons or daughters with DS reported a lower level of pessimism than the other groups of fathers. There were no group differences in paternal coping style. Group differences in paternal depressive symptoms and pessimism were, in part, related to differences in paternal age, the child's behavior problems, risk of having additional children with a disability, and maternal depressive symptoms. Findings from this study can be used to educate providers and design services for fathers during the later parenting years.