Adolescents’ Victimization and Internalizing Problems: The Protective Role of Parental Sense of Coherence

Abstract

Adolescents who are exposed to or involved in violence are at risk of developing internalizing problems; research interest is increasing in identifying family processes that may buffer adolescents’ adjustment problems. This study examines parents’ sense of coherence (SOC; i.e., parents’ perception of comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness in daily life) as a possible protective factor in the relation between adolescents’ victimization and internalizing problems. One hundred and forty-eight adolescents (87.7% girls, aged between 15-19) and their parents (128 fathers and 144 mothers) participated in the study. Parents completed self-report questionnaires including the Sense of Coherence Scale and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Adolescents reported about their own experiences of violence (i.e., violence and peer victimization). Results from the path analyses showed that both paternal and maternal SOC were negatively associated with adolescents’ internalizing problems. Moreover, paternal SOC, but not maternal SOC, moderated the relation between adolescents’ victimization and internalizing problems. When fathers had low levels of SOC, adolescents’ victimization was strongly and positively associated with their internalizing problems; on the contrary, for adolescents whose fathers had high levels of SOC the relation between victimization and internalizing problems was not significant. Thus, paternal SOC serves as a resource for adolescents with victimization experiences. We discussed implications and future developments of the study.