Families in Youth-to-Parent Aggression Situation: Clinical Symptoms, Parenting and Family Functioning

Abstract

ABSTRACT One objective of this study was to obtain the psychological functioning profile of adolescents involved in youth-to-parent aggression (YPA) situations, as well as their family functioning, analyzing variables that had not received empirical attention, such as emotional intelligence, parental criticism, the parent-to-child bond, or knowledge of family history. Another objective was to explore which predictors related to adolescent characteristics, parenting and family functioning were most useful for discriminating between YPA and non-YPA groups. Participants were two equivalent groups (one from a family therapy center specializing in the treatment of YPA and a group from the general population), with a total of 133 adolescents and 256 parents. Regarding the psychological functioning of adolescents, the results indicated low emotion regulation and anxious-depressive symptomatology of adolescents involved in YPA. The parenting style was characterized by high overprotection and low care. However, family criticism (AUC = .828) was identified as the best predictor of YPA, with the capacity to discriminate between YPA and non-YPA groups. Families involved in YPA may have a rigid disengaged family functioning and affectionless-controlling parenting style. The central role of family criticism in YPA was unknown. The current study contributes to the literature by showing the need for individual psychological treatment and family therapy of all members of the family as a whole involved in YPA, not just the adolescent aggressors.