Review of Research for Intervention on Parental Mental Health, Couple and Family Dynamics, and Parenting Styles as Predictors of Children’s Internalized and Externalized Behaviors

Abstract

Researchers have been interested in examining factors associated with children’s internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors because of their association with a range of negative child developmental outcomes and future mental health. Internalized problem behaviors include depression and self-isolation while externalized problems include aggressive, hostile and destructive acts. Home environment, specifically parenting, parental mental health and relationship satisfaction of the parents as a couple, are all associated with children’s behavior problems. Research has focused mainly on these factors singularly as predictors of internalized and externalized problems. This paper, using Bronfenbrenner (1979, 1986, 1994), Belsky (1984), and Guralnick’s (2001) models, provides a review of research that examines how home and parental factors, particularly parental mental health and couple relationship quality, interact with each other and influence children’s problem behaviors. The review is concluded with implications suggesting an integrated perspective for intervention and clinical practice informed by Kagitcibasi’s (1996, 2006, 2007) Family Change Model.