Some Consequences of being the Wrong Child: Effects of the Intergenerational Transmission of an Ideal‐Ego

In this paper the author considers a not uncommon group of patients seen in analytic work. These are people who present themselves for treatment because they feel that there is something ‘wrong with themselves’, and it is this belief about themselves that is their problem. They are usually people who have not achieved their potential in life; who may be dissatisfied in their relationships and/or with their level of success in their work. They often suffer from depression, symptoms of anxiety or psychosomatic complaints. In this way their belief in their sense of ‘wrongness’ is self‐confirming and to this extent they do have something wrong with them although the particular manifestations, of what is wrong, can vary considerably. However, it is what these people have in common, their fundamental belief in being ‘wrong’, which the author is going to address.     

Working with parents in parent–child art psychotherapy

This article is part of a broader study that addresses the consolidation of a parent–child art psychotherapy model. It outlines the advantages, challenges, and art interventions that can be used by art therapists when working with parents. Twenty parent–child art therapists participated in this study. Fifteen were interviewed regarding their practical experience. The therapists’ perceptions of parents’ attitudes towards the experience of participation in therapy, encouraging parents to participate in the therapy, parental guidance, using art in therapy meetings, and the therapists’ own parenting were characterized. The findings can help familiarize mental health therapists, art therapy students, and novice art therapists with the parental aspects of the parent–child art psychotherapy model.     

Parental phubbing accelerates depression in late childhood and adolescence:A two-path model

IntroductionPhubbing is a social exclusion behavior related to mobile phone use. It undermines interpersonal relationships and mental health. This study aimed to test the connections between parental phubbing and depression in late childhood and adolescence, as well as the mediating roles of parental warmth, parental rejection, and relatedness need satisfaction.MethodsWe conducted two studies. Study 1 was a cross-sectional study of 530 Chinese students (268 boys and 262 girls, M_age = 13.15 ± 0.64 years) who completed self-report questionnaires. We conducted structural modeling to test the relationship between parental phubbing and depression. Study 2 used a short longitudinal design to validate the results of Study 1 and test the mediating roles of parental warmth, parental rejection, and relatedness need satisfaction. In Study 2, we recruited 293 Chinese students (151 boys, 141 girls, and one participant with no reported gender information, M _age = 12.87 ± 0.74 years) to complete the questionnaires and applied structural equation modeling to analyze the data.ResultsTwo sequential mediation effects were found. The first was parental phubbing → parental warmth → relatedness need satisfaction → depression (protection-reduced effect). The second was parental phubbing → parental rejection → relatedness need satisfaction → depression (risk-increased effect). Gender differences were non-significant.ConclusionsThe study revealed that parental phubbing was associated with students’ depression in late childhood and adolescence through two paths. The present study highlights the need to establish family norms regulating mobile phone use to reduce phubbing.     

Association Between Parental Marital Status and Types of Suicidal Behavior Among Korean Adolescents: A Cross-sectional Study

ObjectivesAdolescent suicide is a global problem. This study aimed to identify associations between parental marital status and suicidal behavior.MethodsThis study analyzed 118 715 middle and high school students from the 13th and 14th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey. The odds ratios (ORs) of suicidal ideation, planning, and attempts were calculated based on parental marital status, living situation, and socioeconomic factors. The data were analyzed using multiple logistic regression.ResultsWhen compared to those living with 2 married biological parents, the ORs of suicidal ideation among adolescents living with either remarried or no parents were 1.34 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17 to 1.53) and 1.36 (95% CI, 1.11 to 1.66), respectively. For suicidal planning, the OR of those living with 1 remarried biological parent was 1.24 (95% CI, 1.01 to 1.52), and that of those living without parents was 1.28 (95% CI, 0.95 to 1.73), when compared to adolescents living with 2 married biological parents. For suicide attempts, when compared to adolescents with 2 married biological parents, the OR of those living with 1 remarried biological parent was 1.48 (95% CI, 1.17 to 1.87) and that of those living without parents was 2.02 (95% CI, 1.44 to 2.83). For adolescents living with 1 remarried biological parent, suicidal behavior was strongly associated with having no siblings and were weakly associated with not living with grandparents.ConclusionsSuicidal behavior among adolescents was associated with the remarriage and loss of parents. Therefore, special attention and interventions are needed for adolescents in those situations.     

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.     

How does parental cancer affect adolescent and young adult offspring? A systematic review

ObjectivesTo i) identify and synthesise evidence published since 2007 regarding the impact of parental cancer on adolescent and young adult offspring, ii) identify methodological and evidence gaps addressed during this period and iii) highlight those requiring further attention.DesignA systematic review and thematic synthesis of peer reviewed literature regarding the impact of parental cancer upon AYA offspring.Data sourcesOnline searches of CINAHL, Embase, Medline, PsychInfo and Scopus databases were conducted. Reference lists of included articles were screened and additional searches by prominent authors were performed.Review methodsStudy selection, data extraction and quality analysis was undertaken by three independent researchers. Extracted study data was iteratively reviewed and discussed to achieve consensus regarding thematic synthesis of included studies.ResultsDatabase and hand-searching yielded 1730 articles, 54 of which were included in the final synthesis. Included studies are discussed with respect to the following themes: i) study design and quality; ii) measurement and sampling; iii) positive and negative aspects of parental cancer; iv) needs; v) communication and information; vi) coping strategies; vii) interventions; and viii) family functioning and other predictors. Twenty-nine studies reported negative impacts related to parental cancer, while eight identified positive outcomes related to post-traumatic growth. Five returned null or mixed findings. Unmet needs were frequently explored and a new validated measure developed. Communication and information were particularly important for offspring, though these needs were often unmet and parents wanted guidance regarding discussions with their children. Offspring may adopt a variety of coping strategies, some of which appear maladaptive, and may cycle between different approaches. Few evaluations of interventions were identified, and further work in this area is needed. Further evidence has emerged that poorer family functioning and other family and illness-related factors predict worse psychosocial outcomes for offspring, however evidence for other predictors such as age and gender remain mixed.ConclusionsAdditional evidence for the negative psychosocial impact of parental cancer on adolescent and young adult offspring, their needs, and factors predicting psychosocial outcomes has emerged in the last decade. However, substantial gaps and methodological issues remain and evidence for the development, efficacy or implementation of interventions for this population is very limited. There is also a clear need for greater focus on bereaved and young adult offspring and those from non-western cultural groups, who remain under-represented in research conducted to date.