Family Process Model Research Articles

The relationship between familial factors and youth mental health outcomes in Korean American families: The mediation effects of youth's negative emotionality.

Depressive symptoms are one of the mental health problems among Korean American (KA) youth. Although several studies examined mental distress among KA youth, few have examined the associations between different familial factors, negative emotionality, and depressive symptoms among them, especially using longitudinal data. Drawing on the Triadic Model of Family Process (TMFP), this study examined the longitudinal associations between Korean-specific aspects of familial factors and depressive symptoms among KA youth and the mediation role of negative emotionality in the relationships. Using KA youth and parent data from the Midwest Longitudinal Study of Asian American Families (MLSAAF) project, path analyses revealed that family enmeshment and youth-reported intergenerational conflict were associated with youth depressive symptoms, with negative emotionality serving as a mediator. The findings suggest that interventions aimed at reducing negative emotionality and improving parent-youth relationship quality and family boundaries could be helpful in reducing youth depressive symptoms.

The Influence of Family on Aggressive Behaviors Between 3-6 Years-old Children-Based on the Triadic Model of Family Process

Children’s aggressive behavior is widely discussed by society and academies because there is a high rate of aggressive behavior in China. Due to family is the first school of children, some researchers have found that family factors have a significant influence on children’s aggressive behavior. However, the systematic review of family factors on children’ s aggressive behavior is not concluded. So, this research’s subject is to conclude family factors on children’s aggressive behavior based on triadic model of family process using method of document analysis. This research concludes family factors in three aspects: family-level factors, parent-level factors and dyad-level factors. Researcher has concluded family atmosphere and family structure in family-level factors and parenting practices and perinatal period in parent-level factors. Moreover, Parent-child relationship, sibling relationship, marital relationship is in dyad-level factors. According to these factors, this research gives some suggestions in these three aspects pertinently.

Same-Sex Kissing and Having a Gay or Lesbian Child: A Bridge Too Far? Parent-Child Similarities in Homophobic Attitudes and Observed Parental Discomfort

ABSTRACT This study examined parent-child similarities in homophobic attitudes and observed parental discomfort with coming-out vignettes in interactions with their adolescent children (14–18 years old). Based on gender schema theory and the family process model we expected parent-child similarities in homophobic attitudes to be stronger in same-gender dyads. Further, we expected that observed parental discomfort with coming-out vignettes would occur and is stronger when the gender of the parent, child, and character in the vignette match. We used questionnaires and observation data from 199 White Dutch families in the Netherlands. Our results showed that parents’ homophobic attitudes were associated with their children’s homophobic attitudes. For same-sex kissing and (imagining) having a gay son, these associations were stronger between parents and children of the same gender. Further, parental discomfort with coming-out vignettes occurred and was stronger when parents and children had the same gender, regardless of the gender of the vignette character. In conclusion, policies aiming at gay and lesbian inclusion should not be limited to accepting gay/lesbian identities, but also pay attention to the acceptance of same-sex intimacy expressions, having gay or lesbian family members, and normalizing discussions about gay/lesbian lives.

An integrative framework of family processes to predict East Asian American youth’s mental health problems

ABSTRACT No existing conceptual framework can describe the family precursors and dynamics that explain East Asian American (EAA) youth’s mental health problems in their cultural context. To address this conceptual gap and better elucidate EAA youth’s mental health issues, we present a conceptual framework that combines two existing theories: the triadic model of family process and acculturation gap-distress theory. We selected these two theories because they address youth mental health problems as a common outcome explained by family domains and complement each other by addressing certain processes in more depth. Using a cultural lens that allows researchers to reconstruct assumptions of theory in specific cultural contexts, the presented integrative framework of family processes identifies how universal and East Asian-specific aspects of familial factors influence the mental health problems of EAA youth. This framework is intended to guide future research efforts on EAA youth development and provide preliminary guidelines for social workers working with EAA families to provide culturally responsive care and services.

Maternal Mental Health and Children’s Problem Behaviours: A Bi-directional Relationship?

Transactional theory and the coercive family process model have illustrated how the parent-child relationship is reciprocal. Emerging research using advanced statistical methods has examined these theories, but further investigations are necessary. In this study, we utilised linked health data on maternal mental health disorders and explored their relationship with child problem behaviours via the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for over 13 years. We accessed data from the Millennium Cohort Study, linked to anonymised individual-level population-scale health and administrative data within the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) Databank. We used Bayesian Structural Equation Modelling, specifically Random-Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Models, to analyse the relationships between mothers and their children. We then explored these models with the addition of time-invariant covariates. We found that a mother’s mental health was strongly associated over time, as were children’s problem behaviours. We found mixed evidence for bi-directional relationships, with only emotional problems showing bi-directional associations in mid to late childhood. Only child-to-mother pathways were identified for the overall problem behaviour score and peer problems; no associations were found for conduct problems or hyperactivity. All models had strong between-effects and clear socioeconomic and sex differences. We encourage the use of whole family-based support for mental health and problem behaviours, and recommend that socioeconomic, sex and wider differences should be considered as factors in tailoring family-based interventions and support.

Family processes and structure: Longitudinal influences on adolescent disruptive and internalizing behaviors.

The present study revisits the assumption in American culture, based in "family privilege," that children fare better in two-parent households by longitudinally examining associations between family structure, process, and adolescent behavior. Societal assumptions and cross-sectional research suggest that there is a difference in child adjustment across varying family structures. Relatedly, the family process literature emphasizes the importance of parent-child relationship quality in addition to family structure on child adjustment. We utilized a longitudinal, prospective design that assessed family structures on nine occasions covering a 12-year period beginning when the target child was 2 years of age for a large (N=714), ethnically and racially diverse sample of low-income families. We examined the relation between self-reported, teacher-reported, and primary caregiver-reported adolescent disruptive and internalizing problem behavior across family structures and parent-child relationship quality. Across seven identified family structures, adolescent behavior did not differ after accounting for middle-childhood adjustment and relevant contextual factors. However, consistent with family process models of child adjustment, positive parent-child relationship quality predicted lower rates of adolescent maladaptive behavior. These findings serve to combat stigma related to family structures that deviate from married parents raising their children and highlight the need for interventions designed to foster positive parent-child relationships. Policy makers and practitioners should aim to support efforts to foster positive parent-child relationships across types of family structures and refrain from promoting or discouraging the formations of specific family structure types.

The Impact of Child Autistic Symptoms on Parental Marital Relationship: Parenting and Coparenting Processes as Mediating Mechanisms.

Research shows that parenting a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with increased marital conflicts and reduced marital love. Less is known, however, about the potential mechanism underlying these associations. The present study tested a family process model linking child autism to parental marriage. We hypothesized that child autistic symptoms would be associated with increased marital conflicts and reduced marital love among parents of children with ASD, and that these associations would be mediated by parenting stress and coparenting conflicts. A total of 382 parents of children with ASD from Hong Kong, China completed questionnaire measures of child autistic symptoms, parenting stress, coparenting conflicts, marital conflicts, and marital love. Structural equation modeling (SEM) and Bootstrap analyses were conducted to analyze the relations among the variables. SEM showed that child autistic symptoms were related to higher levels of parenting stress and coparenting conflicts, which were, in turn, related to increased marital conflicts and reduced marital love among parents of children with ASD. Bootstrap analyses further demonstrated that child autistic symptoms had significant indirect effects on marital conflicts and marital love via parenting stress and coparenting conflicts. Theoretically, this study revealed the potential pathways through which child autism symptomatology may adversely impact the family processes and compromise the marital relationships of parents of children with ASD. Practically, this study pointed to the utility of helping parents of children with ASD to manage child autistic symptoms, alleviate parenting stress, and reduce coparenting conflicts in improving their marital qualities. LAY SUMMARY: This study showed that child autistic symptoms were related to higher levels of parenting stress and coparenting conflicts, which were, in turn, related to increased marital conflicts and reduced marital love among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). These findings pointed to the importance of helping parents of children with ASD to manage child autistic symptoms, alleviate parenting stress, and reduce coparenting conflicts in improving their marital qualities. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Autism Res 2020, 13: 1516-1526. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Evaluation of a Longitudinal Family Stress Model in a Population-Based Cohort.

The Family Stress Model (FSM) is an influential family process model that posits that socioeconomic disadvantage impacts child outcomes via its effects on parents. Existing evaluations of the FSM are constrained by limited measures of socioeconomic disadvantage, cross-sectional research designs, and reliance on non-population-based samples. The current study tested the FSM in a subsample of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 2,918), a large population-based study of children followed from birth through age 9. We employed a longitudinal framework and used measures of socioeconomic disadvantage beyond economic resources. Although the hypothesized FSM pathways were identified in the longitudinal model (e.g., economic pressure at age 1 was associated with maternal distress at age 3, maternal distress at age 3 was associated with parenting behaviors at age 5), the effects of socioeconomic disadvantage at childbirth on youth socioemotional outcomes at age 9 did not operate through all of the hypothesized mediators. In longitudinal change models that accounted for the stability in constructs, multiple indicators of socioeconomic disadvantage at childbirth were indirectly associated with youth externalizing behaviors at age 9 via either economic pressure at age 1 or changes in maternal warmth from ages 3 to 5. Greater economic pressure at age 1, increases in maternal distress from ages 1 to 3, and decreases/increases in maternal warmth/harshness from ages 3 to 5 were also directly associated with increases in externalizing behaviors from ages 5 to 9. Results provide partial support for the FSM across the first decade of life.

The Gendered Family Process Model: An Integrative Framework of Gender in the Family

This article reviews and integrates research on gender-related biological, cognitive, and social processes that take place in or between family members, resulting in a newly developed gendered family process (GFP) model. The GFP model serves as a guiding framework for research on gender in the family context, calling for the integration of biological, social, and cognitive factors. Biological factors in the model are prenatal, postnatal, and pubertal androgen levels of children and parents, and genetic effects on parent and child gendered behavior. Social factors are family sex composition (i.e., parent sex, sexual orientation, marriage status, sibling sex composition) and parental gender socialization, such as modeling, gender-differentiated parenting, and gender talk. Cognitive factors are implicit and explicit gender-role cognitions of parents and children. Our review and the GFP model confirm that gender is an important organizer of family processes, but also highlight that much is still unclear about the mechanisms underlying gender-related processes within the family context. Therefore, we stress the need for (1) longitudinal studies that take into account the complex bidirectional relationship between parent and child gendered behavior and cognitions, in which within-family comparisons (comparing behavior of parents toward a boy and a girl in the same family) are made instead of between-family comparisons (comparing parenting between all-boy families and all-girl families, or between mixed-gender families and same-gender families), (2) experimental studies on the influence of testosterone on human gender development, (3) studies examining the interplay between biology with gender socialization and gender-role cognitions in humans.

MATERNAL DEPRESSION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF EXECUTIVE FUNCTION AND BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS IN HEAD START: INDIRECT EFFECTS THROUGH PARENTING.

The present study used a large, nationally representative sample of Head Start children (N=3,349) from the Family and Child Experiences Survey of 2009 (FACES) to examine associations among maternal depression (measured when children were ˜36 months old) and children's executive function (EF) and behavior problems (measured when children were ˜48 months old). Preliminary analyses revealed that 36% of mothers in the sample had clinically significant levels of depressive symptoms. Furthermore, a path analysis with demographic controls showed a mediation effect that was significant and quite specific; mother-reported warmth (and not mother-child reading) mediated the path between maternal depression, children's EF, and behavior problems. Findings provide empirical support for a family process model in which warm, sensitive parenting supports children's emerging self-regulation and reduces the likelihood of early onset behavior problems in families in which children are exposed to maternal depression.

From child autistic symptoms to parental affective symptoms: A family process model

BackgroundDepression and anxiety are prevalent among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but limited research has investigated why parenting a child with ASD is associated with elevated distress and increased risks of mental health problems. We responded to this gap in the literature by examining the associations between child autistic symptoms and parental affective symptoms, as well as the potential underlying mechanisms. Guided by a family process theory, we hypothesized that child autistic symptoms would be positively associated with parental depressive and anxiety symptoms, and that these associations would be mediated by parents’ concerns about their children’s characteristics (future-related worry), parental roles (parenting stress), marital relationships (marital conflicts), and family conditions (family economic pressure). MethodsCross-sectional questionnaire data were collected from 375 parents of children with ASD residing in Hong Kong, China. The hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling. ResultsChild autistic symptoms were positively associated with parental depressive and anxiety symptoms. These associations were mediated by future-related worry, parenting stress, marital conflicts, and family economic pressure. ConclusionsOur findings revealed the potential pathways through which child autism symptomatology may adversely affect parental mental health. Our findings also highlighted the importance of designing multipronged intervention programs for families raising children with ASD in order to improve relevant family processes and reduce parental affective symptoms.

Role of Marital Conflict and Specific Aspects of Parenting in Predicting Adolescent’s Psychological Adjustment of Spanish Adolescent

The aim of this study was to examine the family process model of adolescent psychological adjustment in a sample of 12 to 18 year-old 456 Spanish adolescents (M = 14.61; SD = 0.53; 56% of females). The self-report scales administered to the adolescents included a short ver-sion of Children’s Perception of Interparental Conflict Scale, six subscales of Youth Self Report, and two subscales of Child’s Reports of Parental Behavior Inventory. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to examine the family-system-theory based model. This model suggested that 1) adolescent perception of marital conflict affects adolescent psycho-logical adjustment; 2) this association can be explained by adolescent perception of parental hostility and harsh punishment by both parents, and 3) the negative association can be buff-ered by adolescent perception of parental support and open communication. The results show that parental hostility and harsh punishment by both parents partially mediated the association between marital conflict and adolescent internalizing and externalizing behaviors in a simple mediation model. Next, parental support and open communication partially buff-ered the relation between marital conflict and adolescent internalizing and externalizing be-haviors in a simple mediation model. However, using a complex model of structural equation modeling we did not find support for the model where parenting mediates the relationship between marital conflict and adolescent adjustment. Our findings do not support the usual direction of the spillover hypothesis but indicate that parenting is linked to marital conflict and both of them play an important role in adolescent adjustment.

Mediated pathways from maternal depression and early parenting to children's executive function and externalizing behaviour problems

AbstractStructural equation models were used to examine pathways from maternal depression and early parenting to children's executive function (EF) and externalizing behaviours in the first nationally representative study to obtain direct assessments of children's kindergarten EF skills (i.e., the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten Class of 2010–2011). Preliminary analyses revealed that maternal depression was negatively related to children's EF and positively related to children's externalizing behaviour problems. However, the negative association between maternal depression and children's EF was completely mediated by maternal parenting practices (i.e., warmth and home learning stimulation). Furthermore, there was an indirect effect from maternal parenting practices to children's externalizing behaviour problems through EF, such that children with stronger EF skills had fewer externalizing behaviour problems. Findings provide support for a family process model in which warm, cognitively stimulating parenting supports children's EF, which in turn decreases externalizing behaviours.Highlights This study examined pathways from parent mental health to children's executive function (EF) and behaviour problems. Maternal depression was negatively related to children's EF and positively related to children's behaviour problems. The negative association between maternal depression and children's EF was completely mediated by maternal parenting. There was an indirect effect from maternal parenting to children's behaviour problems through EF.

Father Participation in Child Psychopathology Research.

The purpose of the current study was two-fold: (1) To examine time trends of the inclusion of fathers in child psychopathology research from 2005 to 2015; and (2) to examine online crowdsourcing as a method to recruit and study fathers. In study 1, findings indicated that, relative to two earlier reviews of father participation from 1984 to 1991 and 1992-2004, there has been limited progress in the inclusion of fathers in child psychopathology research over the last decade. In study 2, without explicit efforts to recruit fathers, almost 40% of a sample of 564 parents recruited from online crowdsourcing (Amazon's Mechanical Turk) were fathers. Major demographic differences did not emerge between mother and father participants and data were equally reliable for mothers and fathers. Fathers were more likely to drop out over the course of a 12-month follow-up but these differences in retention between mothers and fathers were non-significant if fathers were retained at a 2-week follow-up. Finally, family process models tested across four assessments (baseline, 4, 8, and 12month follow-ups) indicated that data from fathers are equally supportive of convergent validity as data from mothers. We concluded that online crowdsourcing is a promising recruitment methodology to increase father participation in child psychopathology research.

Emotion Regulation Strategies and Parenting Practices among Parents of Children With Clinic-Referred Conduct Problems

SYNOPSISObjective. This study examined the cognitive-affective strategies used by parents of young children with conduct problems to regulate emotions. Key questions concerned the extent to which these emotion regulation strategies are associated with positive and negative parenting practices and predict quality of parenting through interplay with parental depression. Design. Participants were families of toddlers (n = 84) referred to a tertiary-level health service for the treatment of disruptive behavior problems. Parenting practices were indexed through observational coding of parent–child interactions and self-report data on multiple dimensions of positive and negative parenting. Parents self-reported their use of cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression—the two emotion regulation strategies that are most robustly associated with psychosocial functioning in adults. Results. Associations between emotion regulation strategy and quality of parenting were moderated by parental depressive symptom severity, with distinct effects seen for positive and negative parenting practices. In terms of positive parenting, more frequent use of cognitive reappraisal was associated with increased use of labeled praise among parents with lower levels of depressive symptoms, whereas parents who had higher levels of depressive symptoms engaged in less such praise regardless of how frequently they used reappraisal. In terms of negative parenting, frequent use of cognitive reappraisal and expression suppression were associated with reduced levels of negative parenting, but only among parents with high levels of depression. Conclusions. These findings add to growing support for the integration of emotion regulation strategies into family process models of early-onset conduct problems and related clinical interventions.

Family process and youth internalizing problems: A triadic model of etiology and intervention.

Despite major advances in the development of interventions for youth anxiety and depression, approximately 30% of youths with anxiety do not respond to cognitive behavioral treatment, and youth depression treatments yield modest symptom decreases overall. Identifying networks of modifiable risk and maintenance factors that contribute to both youth anxiety and depression (i.e., internalizing problems) may enhance and broaden treatment benefits by informing the development of mechanism-targeted interventions. A particularly powerful network is the rich array of family processes linked to internalizing problems (e.g., parenting styles, parental mental health problems, and sibling relationships). Here, we propose a new theoretical model, the triadic model of family process, to organize theory and evidence around modifiable, transdiagnostic family factors that may contribute to youth internalizing problems. We describe the model's implications for intervention, and we propose strategies for testing the model in future research. The model provides a framework for studying associations among family processes, their relation to youth internalizing problems, and family-based strategies for strengthening prevention and treatment.

Review of Family Functioning

This article introduces the theories of family functions, including two kind of theory. The first is result oriented, defining family functioning by specific features of family. The second is process oriented, describing family function from the tasks families need to complete. The authors review Olson annular mode theory and Beavers system theory as representatives of result oriented family function. Then, the authors introduce McMaster family functioning mode theory and Skinner’s Family process model theory as representatives of process oriented family function. At the end of this paper, the authors analyze some possible research directions in the future.

Effectiveness of Family Process Model of Self-concept Content Tehran Payam Noor University

The present study examined the effectiveness of family process model of self-concept content. One-hundred- twenty Tehran Payam Noor University were participants of the study. Samani's Family process and content scale and Rogers's Self-concept scale were used as measures of the study. Simultaneous multiple regression of self- concept total score on the family process and content, revealed that the family process was significant positive predictor of the self-concept total score. Furthermore, the family content was significant positive of the self- concept total score.

Interparental Boundary Problems, Parent-Adolescent Hostility, and Adolescent-Parent Hostility: A Family Process Model for Adolescent Aggression Problems.

This study tests interparental boundary problems (IBPs), parent hostility with adolescents, and adolescent hostility with parents within a reciprocal influence model and tests each as risk factors for adolescent aggression problems. Prospective, longitudinal analyses were conducted with multi-informant data from 768 adolescents and their families, from 6th to 9th grade. Guided by spillover and social learning perspectives, our findings suggest that IBPs have a robust, negative influence on both parent and adolescent hostility. In turn, adolescent hostility was the best predictor of global adolescent aggression problems. Two indirect effects were found that link IBPs and adolescent aggression problems; however, findings indicate that adolescent hostile behavior in the family is the key risk indicator for adolescents' later aggression problems. Model invariance tests revealed that this model was not different for boys and girls, or for adolescents in families with two biological parents and youth in families with two caregivers (e.g. stepparent families).

ABSTRACT

About 20% of children in the United States have been reported to live in rural communities, with child poverty rates higher and geographic isolation from resources greater than in urban communities. There have been surprisingly few studies of children living in rural communities, especially poor rural communities. The Family Life Project helped fill this gap by using an epidemiological design to recruit and study a representative sample of every baby born to a mother who resided in one of six poor rural counties over a 1-year period, oversampling for poverty and African American. 1,292 children were followed from birth to 36 months of age. This monograph described these children and used a cumulative risk model to examine the relation between social risk and children's executive functioning, language development, and behavioral competence at 36 months. Using both the Family Process Model of development and the Family Investment Model of development, observed parenting was examined over time in relation to child functioning at 36 months. Different aspects of observed parenting were examined as mediators/moderators of risk in predicting child outcomes. Results suggested that cumulative risk was important in predicting all three major domains of child outcomes and that positive and negative parenting and maternal language complexity were mediators of these relations. Maternal positive parenting was found to be a buffer for the most risky families in predicting behavioral competence. In a final model using both family process and investment measures, there was evidence of mediation but with little evidence of the specificity of parenting for particular outcomes. Discussion focused on the importance of cumulative risk and parenting in understanding child competence in rural poverty and the implications for possible intervention strategies that might be effective in maximizing the early development of these children.