Dutch adolescents from lesbian-parent families: How do they compare to peers with heterosexual parents and what is the impact of homophobic stigmatization?

In this study, we compared internalizing and externalizing problem behavior of 67 Dutch adolescents (M_age = 16.04) in planned lesbian families who were matched with 67 adolescents in heterosexual-parent families. We also examined whether homophobic stigmatization was associated with problem behavior in adolescents with lesbian mothers after taking into account demographic characteristics, mothers' scores on emotional involvement, and adolescents' earlier problem behavior (measured at age 4–8 years old). Standardized instruments measuring problem behavior were completed by parents and adolescent offspring, and questions about stigmatization were answered by adolescents with lesbian mothers. The results revealed no differences in internalizing and externalizing problem behavior associated with family type. Offspring in lesbian families who reported more experiences of homophobic stigmatization also demonstrated more internalizing and externalizing problem behavior.     

Familial and neighborhood effects on psychiatric disorders in childhood and adolescence

BackgroundMore knowledge is needed on potential associations between individual-, family-, and neighborhood-level factors and psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents.AimsTo examine associations between, individual-, family-, and neighborhood-level factors and incident internalizing (anxiety and mood) disorders and externalizing (ADHD and conduct) disorders in children and adolescents, and to estimate the relative contributions of family and neighborhood to individual variation in these disorders.MethodWe performed a three-level logistic regression on all 542,195 children born in Sweden in 1992–1996, nested in 427,954 families, which in turn were nested in 8475 neighborhoods. The children were followed from 2000 to 2010 for incident internalizing and externalizing psychiatric disorders, assessed from medical records.Results26,514 children (4.8%) were diagnosed with internalizing or externalizing psychiatric disorders. Approximately 29% of the total individual variance in internalizing disorders could be attributed to the family level, which includes both genetic and family environmental effects, and 5% to the neighborhood level. The corresponding figures for externalizing disorders were 43.5% and 5.5%, respectively. After adjustment for individual-level sociodemographic factors, high neighborhood deprivation was associated with increased risks of externalizing and internalizing psychiatric disorders (odds ratio [OR] = 1.37, 95% credible interval [CI] = 1.25–1.50 and OR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.25–1.45, respectively), including conduct disorder (OR = 2.01, 95% CI = 1.58–2.55), anxiety disorders (OR = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.29–1.52), and mood disorders (OR = 1.21, 95% CI, 1.09–1.35). The strongest association between neighborhood deprivation and ADHD was observed in moderately deprived neighborhoods (OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.19–1.44).ConclusionsThese findings call for policies to promote mental health that consider potential influences from children's family and neighborhood environments.conclusionTrial registrationNot applicable.     

Warm and harsh parenting as mediators of the relation between maternal and adolescent emotion regulation

Maternal hostility/rejection and warmth were considered as potential mediators of the relation between mothers' and adolescents' emotion regulation. Participants were first-year high school students living in Ankara, Turkey and their mothers (N = 365). Scales assessing emotion regulation difficulties and maternal hostility/rejection and warmth were administered to both the adolescents and their mothers. Maternal hostility/rejection, but not warmth, mediated the relation between maternal and adolescent emotion regulation. For girls there was, additionally, a direct effect of maternal emotion regulation. The different roles played by parental rejection and parental warmth in the development of adolescents' emotion regulation accord with arguments that socialization occurs in different domains and that rejection and warmth are not aspects of the same domain.     

First empirical evaluation of the link between attachment,social cognition and borderline features in adolescents

ObjectiveSeveral developmental models of borderline personality disorder (BPD) emphasize the role of disrupted interpersonal relationships or insecure attachment. As yet, attachment quality and the mechanisms by which insecure attachment relates to borderline features in adolescents have not been investigated. In this study, we used a multiple mediational approach to examine the cross-sectional interplay between attachment, social cognition (in particular hypermentalizing), emotion dysregulation, and borderline features in adolescence, controlling for internalizing and externalizing symptoms.MethodsThe sample included 259 consecutive admissions to an adolescent inpatient unit (M_age = 15.42, SD = 1.43; 63.1% female). The Child Attachment Interview (CAI) was used to obtain a dimensional index of overall coherence of the attachment narrative. An experimental task was used to assess hypermentalizing, alongside self-report measures of emotion dyregulation and BPD.ResultsOur findings suggested that, in a multiple mediation model, hypermentalizing and emotion dysregulation together mediated the relation between attachment coherence and borderline features, but that this effect was driven by hypermentalizing; that is, emotion dysregulation failed to mediate the link between attachment coherence and borderline features while hypermentalizing demonstrated mediational effects.ConclusionsThe study provides the first empirical evidence of well-established theoretical approaches to the development of BPD.     

How do adolescents deal with intrusive parenting? The role of coping with psychologically controlling parenting in internalizing and externalizing problems

IntroductionWhile research has shown convincingly that psychologically controlling parenting increases the risk for internalizing and externalizing problems among adolescents, little is known about how adolescents cope with such parenting. This study examined the role of two non-autonomous ways of coping (i.e., compulsive compliance and oppositional defiance) and one more autonomous way of coping (i.e., negotiation) in the associations between psychologically controlling parenting and internalizing and externalizing problems.MethodTwo-wave data from a larger longitudinal study with Belgian adolescents (N = 198; 51% female; mean age = 14.89 years, range = 13–17 years) were analyzed using multilevel modeling.ResultsThe results showed that oppositional defiance exacerbated associations between psychologically controlling parenting and externalizing problems at the between-person level of analysis. Both compulsive compliance and negotiation exacerbated the association with internalizing problems at the within-person level. In addition to these moderating effects, both oppositional defiance and negotiation played a partly mediating role in associations between psychologically controlling parenting and externalizing problems and oppositional defiance partly mediated associations between psychologically controlling parenting and internalizing problems at the between-person level.ConlusionOverall, results suggest that oppositional defiance and compulsive compliance are rather dysfunctional coping responses and that negotiation is a mixed blessing. Directions for future research are discussed.     

What do mothers want to know about teens' activities? Levels,trajectories, and correlates

Middle class mothers (n = 169) of middle adolescents (M = 15.69 years old) in the U.S. rated how much they want to know and responded qualitatively about what they “always” and “never” want to know about adolescents' risky prudential (e.g., drinking alcohol, using illegal drugs), personal (e.g., teens' private conversations), and multifaceted (involving overlapping prudential and personal concerns) activities. Latent growth curve modeling over one year showed that mothers wanted to know most about prudential, less about multifaceted, and least about personal activities; wanting to know declined over time for each type of activity, but less for prudential than for other activities. With teen problem behavior controlled, psychologically controlling parenting, supportive and negative interactions with teens, knowledge of adolescents' activities, and teens' age were associated with individual differences in mothers' initial ratings and trajectories of wanting to know, although results varied by domain and were moderated by teen gender.     

Links Between Maternal and Child Psychopathology Symptoms: Mediation Through Child Emotion Regulation and Moderation Through Maternal Behavior

This study examined the intergenerational transmission of psychopathology symptoms with 7–12 year-old children (N = 97; 44 boys, 53 girls, M age = 9.14, SD = 1.38) and their mothers (M age = 38.46, SD = 6.86). Child emotion regulation mediated the links between maternal psychopathology and child internalizing and externalizing symptoms. In turn, the indirect effect was dependent on the level of maternal support in response to youth’s expressions of negative emotions when considering particular constellations of maternal reactions and type of psychopathology symptoms. The findings indicate that the relations between maternal and child psychopathology symptoms and child emotion regulation are complex and vary by context. Regardless of the complexity, however, for both internalizing and externalizing symptoms in youth, the results suggest that building adaptive emotion regulation skills is an important target for prevention among children who are at risk for problems due to exposure to maternal psychopathology.     

Family factors contributing to emotional and behavioral problems in Korean adolescents with epilepsy

PurposeWe aimed to determine whether different aspects of family functioning are associated with emotional and behavioral problems in adolescents with epilepsy and, if not, to document any indirect associations mediated by other family factors.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional, multicenter study. A total of 297 adolescents with epilepsy and their parents participated. Adolescent psychopathology was measured using the Youth Self-Report. Family factors were classified into proximal (parent–child interaction), distal (parent characteristics), and contextual factors (family characteristics) in accordance to their level of proximity to the adolescent's everyday life. Regression analyses were used to analyze the unique and combined predictive power of family factors in relation to psychopathology.ResultsIn total, 44 (14.8%) and 51 (17.2%) adolescents with epilepsy scored above the borderline cutoff (T-score ≥ 60) of internalizing and externalizing problems, respectively. Proximal and distal factors were independently associated with both internalizing and externalizing problems. High levels of parental depressive mood and parental overcontrol were the strongest factors contributing to internalizing and externalizing problems, respectively. Contextual factors were indirectly associated with both internalizing and externalizing problems through more proximal factors.ConclusionsBoth proximal and distal family factors affect psychopathology in Korean adolescents with epilepsy. Parental feelings of depression and parental overcontrol are the strongest factors contributing to internalizing and externalizing problems, respectively.     

Parents' emotion expression as a predictor of child's social competence: children with or without intellectual disability

Background Parents' expression of positive emotion towards children who are typically developing (TD) is generally associated with better social development. However, the association between parents' negative emotion expression and social development can be positive or negative depending upon a number of factors, including the child's emotion regulation abilities. Given the lower emotion regulation capabilities of children with intellectual disability (ID), we hypothesised that parents' negative emotion expression would be associated with lower social development in children with ID compared to those with TD. Methods Participants were 180 families of children with or without ID enrolled in a longitudinal study. Parents' positive and negative affect were coded live from naturalistic home interactions at child ages 5–8 years, and child's social skills were measured by using mother report at child ages 6–9 years. We examined mothers' and fathers' emotion expression as a time‐varying predictor of social skills across ages 5–9 years. Results Mothers, but not fathers, expressed less positive affect and more negative affect with ID group children. Parents' positive affect expression was related to social skills only for TD children, with mothers' positive affect predicting higher social skills. Contrary to expectations, fathers' positive affect predicted lower social skills. Parents' negative affect predicted significantly lower social skills for children with ID than for children with TD. Conclusions Findings support the theory that low to moderate levels of negative expression may be less beneficial or detrimental for children with ID compared to children with TD. Implications for further research and intervention are discussed.     

Early Emergence of Behavior and Social-Emotional Problems in Very Preterm Infants

ObjectiveChildren born very preterm are reported to have an increased frequency of social, emotional, and behavioral problems at school age compared with their peers born at term. The primary aim of this study was to compare social-emotional difficulties and competencies of very preterm and full-term children at 2 years' corrected age. In addition, the relation between perinatal variables and early behavior problems was also examined to help identify those very preterm children most at risk.MethodAt 2 years' corrected age, the parents of 188 very preterm (gestational age <30 weeks or birth weight <1,250 g) and 70 full-term (gestational age ≥37 weeks) children completed the Infant Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment to determine externalizing, internalizing, and dysregulation problems and social-emotional competencies. For the very preterm sample, extensive perinatal data were collected including sex, birth weight, gestational age, chronic lung disease, and postnatal steroids, as well as neonatal cerebral white matter abnormalities detected by magnetic resonance imaging.ResultsThe very preterm children at 2 years demonstrated significantly higher internalizing and dysregulation scores and lower competence scores than peers born at term. There was no significant difference in externalizing scores between groups. Female sex, lower birth weight z score, white matter abnormalities, and postnatal corticosteroids were significantly associated with lower competence scores in the very preterm group.ConclusionsVery preterm children exhibit higher rates of behavior problems early in development, in particular internalizing and dysregulation problems and poorer competence.     

Children's family drawings and internalizing problems

The aim of this study was to examine the associations between specific indicators in children's family drawings and their internalizing problems among Two hundred twenty-two Israeli children (M = 9.70). Drawings were coded using Kaplan and Main's (1986) coding system. Indicators reflecting attachment insecurity, such as omitting and adding parts of the figures, adding bizarre marks and lack of femininity, were correlated with internalizing problems. In addition, different associations were found among boys and girls. Among girls, better grounding and centering of the figures, movement, feminine marks and distance from both parents were negatively associated with internalizing problems, while bizarre marks were positively associated. For boys, centering of the figures, sweetness, distance from mother and the addition of strange objects were positively correlated with maladjustment, while completeness of figures and gender differences were correlated negatively. Moreover, our study depicted a moderation of children's gender on the associations between specific indicators and children's internalizing problems. Discerning specific and relatively easily-coded features in children's family drawings may be a useful research and clinical tool to identify internalizing problems.     

Sleep-related cognitive processes,arousal, and emotion dysregulation in insomnia disorder: the role of insomnia-specific rumination

ObjectiveInsomnia-specific rumination has presented in subjects with insomnia. Research has identified hyperarousal as a key factor, with both trait and state components. It has been shown that emotion dysregulation also plays a role in insomnia. Hence, the aim was to investigate how insomnia rumination is associated with both trait- and state-dependent arousal and emotion dysregulation in insomnia.MethodsSixty-eight subjects with insomnia disorder (DSM-5) and 36 good sleepers were evaluated using: Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Daytime Insomnia Symptom Response Scale (DISRS), Arousal Predisposition Scale (APS), Pre-sleep Arousal Scale (PSAS), and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). Univariate and multivariate regression analyses and mediation analyses were performed.ResultsSubjects with insomnia (F 41, mean age 50.2 ± 10) presented higher scores than good sleepers (F 22, mean age 49.7 ± 14) in all the scales (ISI, DISRS, APS, PSAS, DERS; p < 0.0001). Insomnia rumination was directly correlated with trait (APS, B = 0.22, p < 0.0001) pre-sleep state arousal (PSAS cognitive B = 0.22, p < 0.0001, PSAS somatic B = 0.24, p < 0.0001) and emotion dysregulation (B = 0.5, p = 0.03). It mediated the association between trait and pre-sleep state hyperarousal (Z = 3.3, p = 0.0008), the bidirectional association between cognitive and somatic arousal (p = 0.02), and the association between trait hyperarousal and emotion dysregulation (Z = 2.3, p = 0.04).ConclusionsIn insomnia, specific rumination is related to both trait predisposition to arousal and to state-dependent arousal. It is also related to emotion dyregulation. Insomnia-specific ruminative response style may modulate the complex association between trait- and state-dependent arousal factors and arousal and emotion regulation in insomnia. In this framework, a broad range of cognitive processes may be considered when dealing with subjects with insomnia: the use of rumination-oriented psychological strategies could be important.     

Sleep and development in adolescence in the context of socioeconomic disadvantage

IntroductionSleep problems are associated with negative developmental outcomes in youth, and identification of vulnerability and protective factors is needed to explicate for whom and under which conditions adolescents may be most at risk. Towards this end, we examined socio-economic status (SES) as a moderator of associations between multiple sleep parameters and adolescents’ socio-emotional adjustment and cognitive functioning.MethodsParticipants were 272 adolescents (M age = 17.3 years; 49% girls) and their parents, residing in the Southeastern U.S.A. The sample was socioeconomically diverse and included 41% Black/African American and 59% White/European American youth. Using a cross-sectional design, adolescents' sleep was assessed with actigraphy (total sleep minutes; efficiency indicated by % of time asleep from sleep onset to wake time) and self-reports of sleep quality (sleep-wake problems). Mothers reported on youths’ internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and cognitive functioning was assessed with a standardized test battery.ResultsModeration effects were found and illustrated that, for youth from families with lower SES, shorter and less efficient sleep and subjective sleep problems were associated with higher levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms as well as lower cognitive performance. Conversely, longer and better-quality sleep protected against socio-emotional and cognitive difficulties otherwise observed for socioeconomically disadvantaged youth. Fewer relations between sleep and adjustment emerged for adolescents from families with higher SES.ConclusionsResults reinforce a growing literature indicating that the relation between sleep and adjustment is stronger for youth from families with lower SES, who may especially benefit from better sleep.     

The Relation of Parental Emotion Dysregulation to Children’s Psychopathology Symptoms: The Moderating Role of Child Emotion Dysregulation

This study investigated the roles of parents’ and children’s emotion dysregulation in children’s display of internalizing and externalizing symptoms by incorporating person- and variable-centered approaches. Sixty-four children (ages 8–11) participated in this study with their mothers. Study variables were collected via multiple methods, including behavioral observation and questionnaire assessment from both parents’ and children’s perspectives. Using model-based cluster analysis, children’s profiles with regulating emotions were created by incorporating multiple measurements. Two profiles were identified and applied in a moderation model testing whether the combination of parents’ and children’s regulatory style influence child outcomes. Results showed that children’s emotion dysregulation profiles moderated the relationship between parental emotion dysregulation and child internalizing symptoms, with children who adopted more internalizing regulatory styles display more internalizing symptoms in the context of high parental emotion dysregulation. Implications for the measurement of emotion regulation in the family context, and future directions for intervention, are discussed.     

From the child to the neighbourhood: Longitudinal ecological correlates of young adolescents' emotional,social, conduct,and academic difficulties

Guided by Bronfenbrenner's (1977) ecological framework, we investigated the correlates of changes in early adolescents' emotional, conduct, social and academic difficulties over a 2-year period of time. A representative sample of Australian early adolescents (N = 3797, 51% boys) completed questionnaires and interviews when they were age 10 (T1) and two years later at age 12 (T2). Parents also participated. Adolescents' difficulties increased over time, but there was no difference in academic difficulties between T1 and T2. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that temperamental factors of persistence and reactivity accounted for the most unique variance in adolescents' difficulties. Factors at each ecological level, including neighbourhood advantage, school connection, and family factors, were also uniquely associated with adolescents' change in difficulties over time. Although ecological effects were small, the study highlights the significant unique roles that proximal and distal social contexts play in the development of difficulties.     

Emotion dysregulation across the spectrum of pathological eating: Comparisons among women with binge eating,overeating, and loss of control eating

ABSTRACT

Emotion regulation difficulties influence the etiology and maintenance of binge eating and eating disorders, but differential associations between emotion dysregulation and objective binge eating (OBE) components have not been examined. We compared emotion dysregulation dimensions in women with OBEs (n = 27), overeating only (n = 25), loss of control (LOC) only (n = 32), or no pathological eating (n = 137). Women with OBEs had significantly more difficulty with overall emotion dysregulation, access to strategies, and impulse control when upset than other groups. Women with OBEs and women with overeating did not differ on poor emotional clarity, whereas women with OBEs and women with LOC did not differ on non-acceptance of emotions. The combination of overeating and LOC eating is associated with the greatest emotion dysregulation, but certain emotion regulation facets may differentially relate to overeating and LOC. Identifying emotion-related treatment targets for core eating disorder symptoms is important.     

Prenatal smoking and internalizing and externalizing problems in children studied from childhood to late adolescence

ObjectiveTo study whether prenatal smoking only relates to externalizing problems or whether it is associated with both internalizing and externalizing problems from childhood into late adolescence.MethodChild Behavior Checklist-derived, parent-reported internalizing and externalizing problems of 396 children were longitudinally assessed at ages 5, 10 to 11, and 18 years. The influence of self-reported prenatal smoking on the course of internalizing and externalizing problems over these ages was assessed, controlling for the co-occurrence of internalizing and externalizing problems and co-occurring pre- and perinatal risk factors, demographic characteristics, maternal mental health, and child social and attention problems.ResultsChildren whose mothers had smoked during pregnancy had increased levels of both internalizing and externalizing problems over the period of ages 5 to 18 years when compared with children whose mothers did not smoke during pregnancy. These associations remained significant after controlling internalizing for externalizing and vice versa and possible confounding variables.ConclusionsMaternal smoking during pregnancy is a predictor of internalizing as well as externalizing psychopathology in offspring. The association between prenatal smoking and internalizing and externalizing problems persists throughout childhood and late adolescence. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 2008; 47(7):779–787.     

Adolescent coping with academic challenges: The role of parental socialization of coping

IntroductionHow youth cope with academic challenges has important implications for their academic outcomes. The contributions of parental involvement have been relatively well-established; however, few, if any studies have investigated the role of parental socialization of academic coping (i.e., coping suggestions) in shaping youth coping with academic challenges.MethodsUsing a community sample from the United States, we utilized a multi-informant, longitudinal design to investigate the prospective association between parental socialization of academic coping and adolescent coping with academic challenges. Adolescent gender was also examined as a moderator of associations. Participants included 86 two-parent families (54% boys; 38–52% ethnic minorities). At Time 1, mothers and fathers reported on their problem-solving, help-seeking, and disengaged coping suggestions in response to three hypothetical academic challenge scenarios (i.e., forgetting about or performing poorly on an assignment, difficulties managing academic demands). At Times 1 and 2, adolescents reported on their coping strategies (e.g., strategizing, help-seeking, escape) in response to academic challenges.ResultsFather-reported problem-focused suggestions were associated with youths' more adaptive coping (e.g., strategizing, help-seeking) over time. Interestingly, father-reported disengaged suggestions were associated with less maladaptive coping over time. Further, adolescent gender moderated associations linking mothers' and fathers' problem-focused suggestions and fathers’ help-seeking and disengaged suggestions with adolescent coping over time.ConclusionsOverall, fathers' coping suggestions were associated with more adaptive coping for girls as compared with boys. Findings highlight the role of parental socialization of coping, particularly fathers’ role, in the academic domain.     

Risk factors for child mental health problems in Lithuania: The role of parental nationality

BackgroundWe compare the mental health status of children who reside in Lithuania with parents who are either Lithuanian nationals or non-Lithuanian nationals.MethodData were drawn from the School Child Mental Health Europe survey (SCMHE), a cross-sectional survey of school children aged 6–11 years. A total of 1152 Lithuanian children participated, among them 11.7% from a non-Lithuanian family. Child mental health was assessed using the Dominique Interactive (DI) and the parent- and teacher Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Parental attitudes were evaluated, and socio-demographics were collected.ResultsOverall 26.7% of non-Lithuanian versus 17.2% of Lithuanian children reported having an internalizing disorder (p = 0.01) mainly due to separation anxiety (16.4% versus 10.2%, p = 0.04). Odds ratio (OR) for child-reported internalizing disorders was 1.86 (95% CI = 1.17–2.96) once adjusted for other factors including being a girl, to be younger, parental unemployment and low caring and low autonomy parental attitudes which were associated with greater odds of internalizing disorders. In addition, 31.9% of non-Lithuanian reported suicidal thoughts versus 22.0% of Lithuanian children p = .02); OR = 1.60 (95% CI = 1.04–2.46) once adjusted for single parent, parental unemployment, parental alcohol problems and overreactivity attitude.ConclusionsBeing a non-national minority in Lithuania is a risk factor for child mental health. These findings suggest that further studies are needed to inform local policy-makers on targeted prevention and intervention programs in these children.     

Moderating role of conflict resolution strategies in the links between peer victimization and psychological adjustment among youth

IntroductionVictims of peer victimization are likely to develop psychological adjustment difficulties. The primary goal of the present study was to examine the moderating effects of conflict resolution strategies (solution-orientation, control, nonconfrontation) on the relations between peer victimization and psychological problems (depressive symptoms, loneliness) in Chinese early adolescents using a cross-sectional design.MethodsParticipants included 569 children (298 boys) in fifth grade (M = 11.75 years, SD = 0.40) in urban China. Peer victimization, conflict resolution strategies, depressive symptoms, and loneliness were measured through self-report questionnaires.ResultsPeer victimization was positively related to depressive symptoms and loneliness. The relations between peer victimization and psychological problems were moderated by adolescents' solution-oriented and nonconfrontational strategies. Specifically, the relations between peer victimization and psychological problems, including depressive symptoms and loneliness, were attenuated by solution-orientation strategy. In addition, victimized youth who used nonconfrontation strategy were more prone to suffer from loneliness. Gender was also found to moderate these associations.ConclusionsThe findings suggest that solution-oriented conflict resolution strategy may protect victimized adolescents from developing loneliness and depressive symptoms and nonconfrontation conflict strategy may exacerbate feelings of loneliness of victimized adolescents. Intervention programs should consider helping victimized youth use more solution-oriented strategies and less nonconfrontational strategies.