PARENTING PRACTICES AND BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS AMONG ADOLESCENTS HAVING PARENTS WITH PSYCHOPATHOLOGY: ADOLESCENTS’ COPING AND EFFORTFUL CONTROL AS MODERATORS

Abstract

Mental disorders studied in offspring research typically show familial aggregation of psychiatric and psychological problems. A large body of research suggests that symptoms of mental illness in parents become reflected in family and parent–child interactions, affecting the nature and quality of caregiving and, in turn, both shortand long-term child outcomes (Beardslee, Gladstone & O’Conner, 2011; Downey & Coyne, 1990; Goodman & Gotlib, 1999, 2002). There is reason to believe that these parenting processes are part of a larger set of factors that contribute to patterns of intergenerational transmission of problems (Zahn-Waxler, Duggal & Gruber, 2002). Despite the tremendous work on parent–child interactions and emotional behavioral outcomes in children of parents with psychopathology in Western countries, there was an extreme scarcity in Pakistan for empirical support for this area of research. The present research aims to examine differences in parenting practices and behavioral problems among adolescents having parents with psychopathology (Major Depressive Disorder & Schizophrenia) and without psychopathology. It also investigated the association between parenting practices and behavioral problems among adolescents having parents with psychopathology. Moreover, it attempts to explore moderating role of adolescents’ coping and effortful control on the relationship between parenting practices and behavioral problems among adolescents having parents with psychopathology. The present research was conducted in two phases. The phase-I aimed at establishing psychometric properties of measures used in the present study. The findings of the pilot study indicated that all the Urdu translated scales of the present study supported the evidence of reliability and suggested appropriateness and relevance of these measures for Pakistani culture. Phase-II aimed to test the hypotheses of present research. Sample of the main study consisted of 348 parents and their adolescent children divided into two groups (Clinical Group i.e., Parents with Psychopathology =173, Control Group i.e., Parents without Psychopathology =175). The clinical group was selected from different psychiatric departments and clinics from the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Urdu translated version of Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (APQ) for both parent and adolescent reported parenting practices, Youth Self Report (YSR) for adolescent reported behavioral problems, Brief COPE to assess adolescent reported coping strategies and Effortful Control subscale of Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire-Revised Short Version (EATQ-R) to assess effortful control were used for information collection. Results of present research indicated that parents with psychopathology reported less positive involvement/parenting and more negative/ineffective discipline and deficient monitoring. The adolescents having parents with psychopathology also reported elevated levels of behavioral problems (internalizing and externalizing problems) as compared to adolescents having parents without psychopathology. The findings also indicated that positive involvement/parenting was significantly negatively associated with internalizing and externalizing problems whereas negative/ineffective discipline and deficient monitoring were significantly positively associated with externalizing problems. The findings further suggested significant positive association between deficient monitoring and internalizing problems. However, the findings of the present research could not suggest significant association between negative/ineffective discipline and internalizing problems. The main effect of coping strategies and effortful control on behavioral problems among adolescents indicated significant association in the expected direction. The results of moderation analyses revealed that problem-focused coping, positive coping, and effortful control mitigated the potential impact of negative parenting practices (i.e. negative/ineffective discipline and deficient monitoring) on externalizing problems whereas denial exacerbated this relationship. The results further indicated that problem-focused coping, religious coping, denial and effortful control also moderated the relationship between positive/involvement parenting and externalizing problems. However, interactive effect of avoidant coping on the relationship between any aspect of parenting practices and behavioral problems among adolescents was not supported in the present study. Furthermore, the moderating role of coping strategies and effortful control on the relationship between parenting practices and internalizing problems was not found. It is concluded that problem-focused coping, positive coping, religious coping and effortful control have served as important moderators between parenting practices and externalizing problems. Despite its limitations, the results of this study are promising and significantly contribute to the existing literature. The implications are discussed for the implementation of effective preventive interventions with at risk families and children.