Mother-child Communication Research Articles

‘Parental alienation’ allegations in the context of domestic violence: impacts on mother-child relationships

ABSTRACT Despite the multiple critiques that have been addressed to the concept of ‘parental alienation’ , evidence suggests an increased popularity in recent years. Abused women who seek protection can be labelled as ‘alienating’ mothers. This article investigates the impacts of ‘parental alienation’ allegations on women and children who have experienced domestic violence, focusing on the impacts on mother-child relationships. It draws upon findings from a study that involved multiple case studies conducted with women who had experienced domestic violence and who had been seen as ‘engaging in parental alienation’. For these women, the allegations of ‘parental alienation’ had had negative and sometimes dramatic impacts on the relationships with their children. First, the allegations had resulted in limited or no contact between women and their children. Second, the allegations had limited mother-child communication and had made it more complicated. Third, the allegations had limited women’s ability to protect their children. Fourth, some women reported changes in their children’s behaviours, as some children had expressed feelings of frustration and anger as a result of this situation. The fifth theme emerging from the data was a collection of strategies women used to protect and support their children despite these allegations.

Impact of sociodemographic factors, stress, and communication on health-related quality of life in survivors of pediatric cancer.

While most research has largely focused on medical risks associated with reduced health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in survivors, sociodemographic and family factors may also play a role. Thus, we longitudinally examined sociodemographic factors and family factors associated with survivor HRQOL, including adolescent's cancer-specific stress, mother's general stress, and mother-adolescent communication. Mothers (N=80) and survivors (ages 10-23, N=50) were assessed 5years following initial diagnosis. Mothers completed measures regarding sociodemographic background adolescent's cancer-specific stress, mother's general stress, mother-adolescent communication, and adolescent HRQOL. Survivors also reported on their own HRQOL. Two hierarchical multiple regressions examined predictors of (a) mother's report of adolescent HRQOL, and (b) survivor's self-report of HRQOL. The final model predicting mother-reported adolescent HRQOL was significant, F(5,74)=21.18, p<.001, and explained 59% of the variance in HRQoL. Significant predictors included adolescent stress (β=-.37, p<.001), mothers' stress (β=-.42, p<.001), and communication (β=.19, p=.03). The final model predicting survivor-reported HRQOL was also significant, F(5,44)=5.16, p<.01 and explained 24% of the variance in HRQOL. Significant predictors included adolescent stress (β=-.37, p=.01) and communication (β=-.31, p=.04). Sociodemographic factors were not a significant predictor of HRQOL in any model. Family stress and communication offer potential points of intervention to improve HRQOL of pediatric cancer survivors from mother and survivor perspectives. While additional research is needed, healthcare professionals should encourage stress management and strong mother-child communication to enhance survivors' long-term HRQOL. Such interventions may be complimentary to efforts targeting the known sociodemographic factors that often affect health.

Enacting communication cycles after prediabetes: Mothers’ stories of diabetes risk and seeking support

Background: Diabetes is a family systems experience of multiple intergenerational relationships. Communicating about diabetes as a familial risk helps individuals perceive greater control over preventing diabetes. Aim: The present study investigates how mothers disclose their prediabetes to their family and the precipitating family communication, with the goal to interrupt the multigenerational legacy of diabetes. Method: Data were collected from a Family Medicine outpatient clinic. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to illicit information about mother-child communication about diabetes. Sort and Sift, Think and Shift analysis provided rich descriptions of mothers’ experiences. Results: The sample consisted of 9 women with prediabetes, aged 42-70, who had at least one child. Eight participants described at least 2 generations of family members with a diabetes-related diagnosis (prediabetes, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and gestational diabetes). First, we present two contextual factors that preexisted the prediabetes diagnosis, which influenced the disclosure decision: general health communication approach and personal evaluation of diabetes. Second, we present the communication cycles that supported self-management. Discussion: Continual communication cycles with family and clinicians can support mothers with prediabetes to enact self-management behaviors and delay the onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Conclusion: Mothers need family members to respond favorably to complete a positive communication cycle that can generate continuous emotional, social, and instrumental support.

Associations between parental depression, communication, and self-worth of siblings bereaved by cancer.

A child's death from cancer may increase the risk for poor self-worth in bereaved siblings. Furthermore, bereaved parents may experience depressive symptoms and communicate differently with their surviving children. However, limited research has examined family factors associated with self-worth in bereaved siblings. Thus, we examined: (a) differences in parental depressive symptoms, parent-child communication, and sibling self-worth between bereaved and nonbereaved families and (b) indirect effects of parental depressive symptoms and communication quality on the association between bereavement and sibling self-worth. Bereaved parents and siblings were recruited 3-12 months after a child's death from cancer. Bereaved (n = 72) and nonbereaved families of classmates (n = 58) completed home-based questionnaires upon enrollment (T1), and 48 bereaved and 45 nonbereaved families completed 1-year follow-up (T2). Relative to controls at T1 and T2, bereaved mothers, but not fathers, reported more depressive symptoms. Bereaved siblings reported poorer maternal and similar paternal communication, and similar levels of self-worth compared to controls. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal serial mediation models for mothers were significant. Bereaved mothers were at greater risk for depressive symptoms, which adversely affected sibling self-worth over time through disrupted mother-child communication. The father sample was limited, but the cross-sectional model was nonsignificant. Mothers and fathers may grieve differently and may require different therapeutic approaches. Family-centered interventions should target bereaved mothers' emotional adjustment and communication to enhance sibling self-worth. Additionally, clinicians should bolster other sources of support for bereaved siblings to promote adaptive outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Middle school students’ mental unwellness and academic performance in China: The effects of parental involvement

This study investigated the relationship between the mental unwellness of middle school students in China and their academic performance in the subjects of Chinese, mathematics, and English. Additionally, this study explored the potential ameliorating effects of parental involvement variables (parental non-academic activity involvement and parent-child communication) on the adverse impact of mental unwellness on academic performance. The examination of the effects of parental involvement also considered the differential effects of involvement by mothers and fathers. This study utilized national longitudinal representative data from the China Education Panel Survey (CEPS). Findings of the two-level Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) analyses indicated that mental unwellness in Grade 7 negatively impacted academic performance in the aforementioned subjects in Grade 8. Nonetheless, these adverse impacts were alleviated when the parental involvement variables were taken into account. Furthermore, the results revealed that mother-child communication and father-child communication had moderating effects on the negative relationship between mental unwellness and academic performance in Chinese and English, respectively. This study contributes to the existing literature by shedding light on the beneficial effects of parental involvement and highlighting the differential involvement of mothers and fathers.

Life satisfaction trajectories among junior high school students in China: The role of parent–child communication

AbstractA 3‐year follow‐up test (from grades 7 to 9) was administered to 807 junior high school students from two regions in Hunan Province, China, using multilevel analysis to examine trends in junior high school students' life satisfaction, differences by gender and location of life and the effects of father–child/mother–child communication on the development of life satisfaction. The results showed that (1) Chinese junior high school students' life satisfaction showed a decreasing trend from the seventh grade to the ninth grade, and there was a significant decreasing process in the eighth grade; (2) father–child communication and mother–child communication had a significant positive predictive effect on Chinese junior high school students' life satisfaction and (3) father–child communication and mother–child communication had a significant negative predictive effect on the decreasing trend of life satisfaction, in which the effect of mother–child communication was particularly significant.

How general functioning of family affects gambling-related beliefs: the mediating role of communication and the moderating role of impulsivity trait.

Gambling behaviors can be exhibited by individuals raised in families with impaired parent-child communication and individuals with more impulsive traits. However, it remains unclear how gambling-related beliefs are modulated by impulsivity traits and parent-child communication styles. A total of 95 adult patients (age ≥ 18 years) diagnosed via DSM-5 criteria with gambling disorder (GD) completed our questionnaire. Participants filled out pen-and-paper questionnaires that included basic demographic information, the Family Assessment Device (FAD), Parent-Adolescent Communication Scale (PACS), Gambling Attitude and Belief Survey (GABS), and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS). We used a moderation mediation model to explore the relationship between variables. The study results were considered statistically significant if p < 0.05, or the 95% confidence interval did not contain zero. The scores of the problems in communication with mother subscale (PCMS) of PACS were significantly positively correlated with the scores of GABS and the general functioning 12-item subscale (GF12) of FAD. The relationship between the scores of GF12 and GABS was completely mediated [β = 4.83, (1.12, 10.02)] by PCMS scores, and the BIS scores moderated this relationship: the predictive path between GF12 and PCMS scores [index of moderated was β = -0.25, (-0.60, -0.04)], and the indirect predictive front path between the scores of GF12 and GABS were significant only in subjects with low BIS scores. These findings suggest that poor general functioning of the family may increase gambling-related beliefs as a result of communication problems with mothers, and this result is only significant for individuals with low impulsivity. When treating patients with GD, more treatment of mother-child communication issues and individual impulsivity may be more conducive to their recovery.

Investigation of the Relationship between Preschool Children's Temperament Characteristics and Mother-Child Communication

Annelerin çocuklarıyla iletişimlerinde çocuğa ait bireysel özellikler etkili olmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, okul öncesi çocukların sahip oldukları mizaç özellikleriyle anneleriyle iletişimleri arasındaki ilişkinin kişisel bazı değişkenlere göre incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Çalışma grubunu, okul öncesi eğitim kurumuna devam eden 4-6 yaş grubu 108’i kız ve 133’ü erkek olmak üzere 241 çocuk ve bu çocukların anneleri oluşturmuştur. Verilerin toplanmasında Çocuklar İçin Mizaç Ölçeği (ÇİMÖ) ve Anne-Baba-Çocuk İletişimini Değerlendirme Aracı (ABÇİDA)kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın sonucunda; ÇİMÖ Aktivite Düzeyi ve Dikkat ve Sebat alt boyutları ile annelerin ABÇİDA Konuşma, Dinleme, Sözsüz İletişim ve Empati alt boyutları arasında; ÇİMÖ Tepkisellik Durumu ve Duygusal Duyarlık ile ABÇİDA tüm alt boyutları arasında; ÇİMÖ Ritmiklik ile ABÇİDA Konuşma, Dinleme, Mesaj ve Sözsüz İletişim alt boyutları arasında pozitif yönlü düşük bir ilişki varken ÇİMÖ Duygusal Hassasiyet alt boyut puanları ile ABÇİDA Mesaj alt boyutu ortalama puanları arasında negatif yönlü düşük düzeyde bir ilişki bulunmaktadır. Buna göre çocukluların olumlu duygulanıma ilişkin mizaç özellikleri ve anne-çocuk iletişim becerileri arasında pozitif ilişkiler olduğu görülmüştür. Aktivite düzeyi, yakınlık ve uyum, dikkat ve sebat ve duygusal duyarlılık özellikleri açısından kız çocukları lehine anlamlı farklılık olduğu saptanmıştır. Ayrıca annelerin çocuklarıyla iletişimlerinin bazı boyutlarında çocuğun cinsiyeti, doğum sırası, anne yaşı ve öğrenim durumunun da etkili olduğu görülmüştür. Bu çalışma sonucunda, ebeveynlerin çocukla ilişkilerinde çocuğun mizacına uygun yaklaşımlar sergilemelerinin sağlıklı iletişimde önemli olduğu vurgulanmıştır.

Perceived facilitators and barriers to the uptake of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine among adolescents of Arabic-speaking mothers in NSW, Australia: A qualitative study

BackgroundAustralia has a large immigrant population but there is little data regarding whether human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination coverage in adolescents varies according to parents’ cultural or ethnic background. This work aims to identify facilitators and barriers to HPV vaccination of adolescents as perceived by Arabic-speaking mothers in Western Sydney, South Western Sydney and Wollongong, NSW, Australia. MethodsA purposive sampling approach was applied to recruit mothers of adolescents from Arabic speaking backgrounds who had at least one child eligible for the HPV school-based vaccination program. Face-to-face semi-structured well as online interviews were conducted in Arabic between April 2021 and July 2021. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and translated into English and examined using thematic analysis. ResultsSixteen mothers of adolescents from Arabic backgrounds described facilitators and barriers to HPV vaccination. A) Facilitators of HPV vaccination included: knowledge of HPV disease, trust in the school vaccination program, opportunistic recommendations from healthcare workers, information from friends. B) Barriers to accessing HPV vaccination included communication gaps: breakdown in school-parent information flow, lack of access to the Arabic language version of the information sheet, mother - GP communication barriers, mother–child communication gap; and health system gaps: missed opportunities for vaccination. C) Mothers’ suggestions to improve HPV vaccination acceptance: to involve religious and cultural leadership, encourage engagement with GPs, and provide school-based education for parents and students. ConclusionParents could benefit from assistance with HPV vaccination decision making. Interventions via schools, health professionals and religious and cultural organisations could play important roles in HPV vaccination acceptance for Arabic speaking immigrant families and in introducing their adolescent children to this vaccine.

Motherese in Omani Arabic

Motherese, alternatively known as parentese, infant directed speech, or baby talk, is the spontaneous emotive manner in which mothers converse with their newborns and young children to establish mother-child communication. The occurrence of motherese in mother-child communication is attested cross-linguistically with variant extent and frequency in languages and cultures of the globe. Due to its distinct linguistic features that tease it out from adult directed speech, it is believed to have a positive role in facilitating and accelerating children’s acquisition of their mother tongue. Prominent linguistic features that characterize motherese are often the use of simplified constructions, specific lexical items intentionally meant for children, higher pitch, slower tempo, and prolonged pronunciation, among several other ones. The role these features play in enhancing children’s exposure to and comprehension of their mother tongue as well as the establishment of a compassionate mother-child relationship stand as the driving force behind its use by mothers from different walks of life cross-culturally. The Arab culture is not an exception to this tendency since motherese is attested in several varieties of Arabic. Omani Arabic as one member of these varieties does have motherese in its daily use; yet, it is not brought to light. In an attempt to sightsee such untraversed area and bring it to light, this paper is, thus, a humble endeavor to investigate the practice of using motherese among Omani mothers and children to establish mother-child communication. Results show that several features characterize Omani Arabic motherese, those that may conform to or differ from features that characterize baby talk in other languages and cultures.

The Relationship of Communication and Children's Age with Readiness for Menarche in Students of SMP Negeri 1 Enrekang

The aim of the research was to determine the relationship between mother-child communication and child age with readiness to face first menstruation (menarche) in female students at SMP Negeri 1 Enrekang, Enrekang Regency. The research method used is an analytical approach using a cross sectional design. The population in this study was a total of 132 people. The sample studied consisted of 99 respondents, from March 23 to April 13 2015. Data was collected using a questionnaire and then analyzed using the Chi square statistical test with a significance level of ? &lt; 0.05. The results of research on mother-child communication related to readiness to face the first menstruation (menarche) obtained a value of p = 0.000 &lt; 0.05, and the child's age in relation to readiness to face the first menstruation (menarche) obtained a value of p = 0.004 &lt; 0.05. Based on the research results, it was concluded that there is a relationship between mother-child communication and readiness to face the first menstruation (menarche), and there is a relationship between the child's age and readiness to face the first menstruation (menarche), suggestions for future researchers are to pay attention to several internal factors related to readiness to face the first menstruation (menarche), for example the level of knowledge of teenagers about the first menstruation (menarche), and also other factors so that teenagers are better prepared to face the first menstruation (menarche).

Maternal Mediation on Children’s Smartphone Overdependence: A Moderated Moderation Model of Mother-Child Communication and Children’s Gender

Objectives: This study examined the effects of maternal mediation and mother-child communication on children’s smartphone overdependence. It also explored the moderated moderation effect of mother-child communication and children’s gender on the relationship between maternal mediation and children’s smartphone overdependence.Methods: A total of 411 first to third grade elementary school students and their mothers participated in this study. Mothers responded to questionnaires. Data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis with SPSS 21.0 and using model 3 in PROCESS macro version 3.4.Results: First, maternal active mediation only affected girls’ smartphone overdependence, while maternal restrictive mediation affected both boys’ and girls’ smartphone overdependence. That is, the more active mediation mothers showed, the less dependent girls were on smartphones. Moreover, the more restrictive mediation mothers showed, the less dependent both boys and girls were on smartphones. Second, problematic communication influenced both boys’ and girls’ smartphone overdependence; that is, the more problematic communication they had with their mothers, the more they depended on smartphones. Lastly, the effect of maternal active mediation on children’s smartphone overdependence was different depending on open communication and children’s gender. Specifically, its effect on children’s smartphone overdependence was greater when they communicated more openly with their mothers, and this effect was only found in the case of girls.Conclusion: This study confirmed that maternal mediation and mother-child communication are important to effectively prevent or intervene in children’s smartphone overdependence. It also suggests that prevention or intervention should be approached differently depending on children’s gender.

Underwater Noise Level Recordings from a Water Intake Pontoon and Possible Impacts on Yangtze Finless Porpoises in a Natural Reserve.

Simple SummaryRelocation of endangered freshwater cetaceans in natural reserves is an effective conservation strategy to recover their populations. However, due to historical reasons, some natural reserves have facilities that cannot be removed, such as water intake pontoons that are important for residents nearby. These facilities generate underwater noise which may affect cetaceans. To investigate the potential impacts of underwater noise from water intake pontoons on freshwater cetaceans, this study measured such noise within a Yangtze finless porpoise (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis) nature reserve, analyzed its effects on porpoise behavior, vocalization, and hearing, and explored porpoise adaptation to the transient holding pen environment. This study provides a reference for assessing whether human facilities have impacts on freshwater cetaceans.Underwater noise pollution caused by human activities may affect freshwater cetaceans to different degrees. To analyze the impacts of water intake pontoons on Yangtze finless porpoises (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis), this study collected underwater noise data from such a pontoon in a nature reserve, plotted the power spectral density of acoustic signals, and calculated the root mean square sound pressure levels and the magnitude of sound source levels. The 1/3-octave sound pressure level root mean square values at the transient holding pens were <18.0 kHz, 39.5−60.0 kHz, which were slightly higher than the Yangtze finless porpoise hearing threshold curve values and therefore could be perceived. However, the results indicated that the porpoises would not develop a temporary hearing threshold shift. Meanwhile, pontoon noise did not interfere with the porpoises’ high-frequency acoustic signal nor did it affect their echolocation; it significantly interfered with their low-frequency acoustic signal, however, and the mother–child communication of the finless porpoises was affected, but this effect was quickly compensated due to the limited space range of the holding pens. Through this study of Yangtze finless porpoises, this paper provides a reference for assessing whether human facilities have impacts on freshwater cetaceans.

Aspectos favorables de la comunicación no verbal madre-hijo en la construcción del psiquismo desde el enfoque de Aulagnier

&nbsp;This article on the favorable aspects of mother-child non-verbal communication in the construction of the baby’s psyche is developed from the psychoanalytic approach of Piera Aulagnier (1988; 1991) and includes her vision from the moment in which the woman wishes to be a mother until the baby’s first year of life. The concepts reviewed are primary violence, secondary violence, representation and negative desire. Likewise, the study is complemented by the theoretical vision of Fonagy (2013), Pichon-Riviere (1950), Spelt (1937) and Spitz (1959; 1963b), among others, for whom mother-child communication is essential for development of the infant’s psyche from the moment of conception.

Mother-Child Interaction of Boys With ADHD: A Behavioral Observation Study

Purpose: Investigate the quality of mothers’ interactions with children with ADHD and a marginal disturbance in socioemotional competence (MDSC). Research Methods: A total of 49 mother-boy dyads were included, and we observed their communication on neutral and conflict topics for children with ADHD and MDSC, children with ADHD alone, and children with typical development (TD). The Chinese version of the Specific Affect Coding System 20-code was used to examine the affective presentation in communication. Results: Mothers of children with ADHD and MDSC had less negative disengagement affect compared with those of children with ADHD alone. Boys with ADHD and MDSC and boys with TD had constant positive engagement between neutral and conflict conditions in parent-child interaction. Boys with ADHD and MDSC had significantly less positive affect and more neutral affect than children with ADHD only. Conclusions and Implications: Boys with ADHD and MDSC and their mothers had worse quality of observed mother-child communication than children with ADHD only and their mothers.

Mistifikasi Jalinan Komunikasi Pada TVC Air Minum Dalam Kemasan

Abstract - This is a study that reveals how mystification is packaged using the narrative of mother-child communication in the Mother's Day version of the Aqua branded beverage product advertisement. The mother's day version of Aqua's advertising communicator takes advantage of the nature of a mother who always loves and protects, especially to her children and the momentum is released to coincide with the events of Mother's Day. This study uses a qualitative approach by using a critical paradigm. then analyze the sign of communication used in advertising by using Barthes semiotics. The unit of analysis is taken purposively and in the form of audio, visual and text. Barthes' idea about the relation between signifier, sign and then the meaning of denotation, connotation and myth led researchers to a finding that advertising communicators perform mystification very subtly. There is a personification of Aqua water as if it has love and protection like a mother The construction process carried out by Aqua advertising communicators is also a myth. Next, he packs the scene of the child's communication relationship with his parents as his denotative aspect and the scene of giving gifts as the connotation of the gimmick he uses. In this study, it was also found that capitalism cannot be separated from the ideology that underlies the communicators of the Mother's Day version of Aqua advertising to do mystification.Keywords : Mystification, Advertising, Capitalist, Construction, Semiotics

Features of communication in Norwegian parent–child play interactions

Communication is best understood as occurring along three dimensions: interactional, conceptual, and linguistic. However, few studies have examined early parent–child communication along all three dimensions simultaneously. This study examines these three dimensions of communication in Norwegian parent–child interactions during play. Thirty-nine 2-year-old children participated in dyadic interactions with their fathers ( N = 30) and mothers ( N = 38). Of these 39 children, 29 engaged in separate interactions with both parents. Father–child and mother–child responsive communication, levels of abstract talk, and language complexity and diversity were examined and compared. Overall, the features of communication were very similar between father–child and mother–child interactions, and there were some noteworthy associations between the features of father–child and mother–child communication within families and dyads. We discuss these findings in reference to the three dimensions and in relation to the specific activity and cultural setting of the study.

Mother-Child Communication and Mothers' Fear of Coronavirus Disease During the Pandemic

Türkiye salgının ağırlaşmaya başladığı ilk günlerden bugüne COVID-19 virüsünün neden olduğu vaka sayısı ve ölüm oranlarında oldukça kötü bir tablo sergilemektedir. Salgının kötü boyutlara ulaştığı tüm ülkelerde olduğu gibi kısıtlama ve yasaklamalar devreye sokulmaktadır. Hem salgın hem de kısıtlamaların toplum üzerinde çok boyutlu etkileri olduğu bilinmektedir. Bu çalışmada annelerin çeşitli değişkenler açısından COVID-19 korkusu ve bu korkunun anne-çocuk iletişimindeki etkilerini araştırmak amaçlanmıştır. Bu doğrultuda çevrimiçi veri toplama yolu ile 48-72 aylık çocuğu olan 316 anneden bilgi toplandı. Çalışma sonucunda annelerin COVID-19 korkusu ile çalışma hayatının olması, yaşı ve evde bir aile büyüğü ile birlikte yaşıyor olması arasında anlamlı bir ilişki bulunmuştur. Yapılan regresyon modeli sonucunda ise anne-çocuk iletişim ile COVID-19 korkusu arasında negatif yönlü anlamlı bir ilişki bulunmuştur (R=.324, R²=.150 p

Parent-Child Discrepancies in Perceived Parent-Child Communication and Depressive Symptoms in Early Adolescents in China.

Although recent studies demonstrated that parent-child discrepancies in the perceived family processes were associated with children’s developmental outcomes, few studies have addressed this issue in different types of families in mainland China. The present study investigated that how discrepancies in parents’ and adolescents’ perceptions of parent-adolescent communication were associated with early adolescent depressive symptoms in a nationally representative sample (N = 15,377) with 7010 father-adolescent dyads (adolescents: Mage = 14.24 years, SD = 1.25 years; 5960 adolescents from two-parent families, 443 adolescents from single-father families) and 8367 mother-adolescent dyads (adolescents: Mage = 14.02 years, SD = 1.18 years; 6670 adolescents from two-parent families, 1362 adolescents from single-mother families) in China. Adolescent respondents completed a measure of depressive symptoms and all informants reported on the perceived levels of parent-adolescent communication. Results indicated that adolescents reported parent-child communication more negatively than did their parents. Father-adolescent discrepancies were also greater in intact families than non-intact families. Polynomial regression analyses indicated that while there was a significant interactive effect of father-reported and adolescent-reported father-adolescent communication in Chinese two-parent families, no significant interaction was found for mother-adolescent dyad. Besides, adolescent-reported mother-child communication interacted with mother-reported communication in Chinese single-mother families only. The findings clarify parent-adolescent discrepancies in parent-child communication in different types of families in China and they have theoretical and practical implications on the role of discrepancies in parents and adolescent children on perceived parent-adolescent communication in early adolescent depressive symptoms.

The Association of Parent-Child Communication With Internet Addiction in Left-Behind Children in China: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Objective: Internet addiction has emerged as a growing concern worldwide. This study aimed to compare the prevalence of Internet addiction between left-behind children (LBC) and non-left-behind children (non-LBC), and explore the role of paternal and maternal parent-child communication on LBC. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey in rural areas in Anhui, China. The complete data were available from 699 LBC and 740 non-LBC. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine 1) whether LBC were more likely to develop Internet addiction, and 2) the association between parent-child communication and Internet addiction among LBC. Results: LBC had a higher likelihood to report Internet addiction when compared to non-LBC (OR = 2.03, 95%CI = 1.43–2.88, p < 0.001). Among LBC, parent-child communication (both mother-child and father-child) was protective factor for children’s Internet addiction. The role of mother-child communication played well among male LBC. Conclusions: The lack of parental supervision may lead to Internet addiction. It is highly recommended for migrant parents to improve the quality of communication with their children. Also, gender-matching effects should be considered in the relationship between children’s behavior and parental factors.