Parental Relationships Research Articles

Comparison of Suicide Attempts and Associated Risk Factors During the COVID-19 Pandemic and One Year Before

Background: Many studies have investigated the rate of suicide attempts and their risk factors during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic; however, the results are still challenging. Objectives: This study investigated and compared the risk factors effective in suicide attempts during the pandemic period and one year before. Methods: This case-control study was conducted at Loghman Hakim hospital, Tehran, Iran. Random sampling included all patients in the inpatient ward who were over 12 years of age and committed suicide during the pandemic within October 1, 2021, to August 30, 2022 (case group; n = 160) or one year before within March 11, 2019, to March 11, 2020 (control group; n = 160). Demographic information, mental-psychological status, and socioeconomic status (SES) of the patients in the case group, before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, were recorded during face-to-face interviews using a predesigned semi-structured questionnaire by study staff trained and supervised by a clinical psychiatrist. Additionally, the data of the patients in the control group were retrospectively recorded during the review of medical records and telephone interviews. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare the variables in the case group before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The Student’s t-test and chi-square test were used to compare the variables between the case and control groups. Additionally, to determine the risk factors predicting suicide attempts during the pandemic, a multivariable logistic regression test was used. The data were analyzed using PASW18 software. Results: The results showed that the patients in the case and control groups had significant differences in terms of age (P = 0.01), underlying mental disorders (P = 0.032), and parental relationship (P = 0.001). Moreover, the variables of suicidal ideation (P = 0.002), feeling lonely (P = 0.023), sleep disorder (P = 0.32), and domestic violence (P = 0.004) in the case group were significantly higher than the control group. In addition, the comparison of these variables in the patients of the case group, before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, showed that the start of the pandemic triggered these factors and led to an increase in suicide attempts in this population. Finally, the logistic regression analysis showed that the variables of SES, having a close friend, parental relationship, previous planning for suicide, domestic violence, and job loss could be considered predictive risk factors for suicide attempts during the pandemic period. Conclusions: According to the present study’s findings, the psychological and socioeconomic conditions triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic led to an increased likelihood of suicidal ideation or attempts in vulnerable individuals.

Factors Determining the Attitude Towards Infidelity in Romantic Relationships: The Role of Parental Infidelity Experience, Attachment Style, and Relationship Satisfaction

Aldatma evliliklerin sona ermesinin en yaygın nedeni olarak öne çıkmaktadır. Yaygınlık çalışmaları da aldatmanın ilişki dinamikleri ve buna bağlı kişisel ve ilişkisel psikoterapi çalışmaları için araştırılmasının önemini göstermektedir. Bu çalışmada kişilerin aldatmaya yönelik tutumları ile ilişkili olabilecek (yaş, cinsiyet, eğitim durumu, ilişki durumu, çocuk sahibi olma durumları, ebeveyn aldatması, bağlanma örüntüsü ve ilişki doyumu) faktörleri incelemek amaçlanmıştır. Buna göre, 18 ila 65 yaş arasında (Ort. = 31.24, SS = 9.66), en az 6 aydır romantik bir ilişki içinde olan 751 katılımcıdan aldatmaya ilişkin çeşitli sorular içeren demografik bilgi formu, Yakın İlişkilerde Yaşantılar II Ölçeği, İlişki Doyumu Alt Ölçeği ve Aldatmaya Yönelik Tutum Ölçeği aracılığıyla veriler alınmıştır. Yapılan regresyon analizi ve düzenleyicilik analizi sonuçlarına göre, daha genç yaşın, çocuk sahibi olmanın, daha resmi bir ilişkide olmanın aldatmaya yönelik daha negatif tutumları beraberinde getirdiği görülmüştür. Cinsiyetin, ilişki süresinin ve eğitim durumunun ise anlamlı bir ilişkisi bulunmamıştır. Bağlanma biçimlerinden kaçıngan bağlanmanın ve ebeveyn aldatması deneyiminin yine bu tutumu artırdığı görülmüştür. Son olarak kişilerin ilişkiden aldıkları doyum, daha öncesindeki ilgili tüm değişkenler kontrol edildiğinde dahi aldatmaya yönelik tutumların önemli bir yordayıcısı olarak belirmiştir. Düzenleyicilik analizleri ise, bağlanma boyutları, ilişki doyumu ile aldatma tutumu arasında ebeveyn aldatmasının düzenleyici etkisi olmadığını göstermiştir. Bulgular alanyazın ışığında değerlendirilmiştir

Analysis of the Influence of Some External Factors on Students Mathematics Achievement Based on Decision Tree Algorithm

With the continuous progress of the educational system in various countries, people attach more and more importance to education. In todays school education, the math score of students is an important indicator for the assessment of student learning outcomes, on the one hand, can be a real, objective reflect students actual learning and teachers teaching level, on the other hand can also choose for students after learning methods, teachers to play a good role in guiding the teaching plan. This study analyzes the student performance data of math students in kaggle, explores the factors that affect the students performance of this course from many aspects, and then puts forward reasonable suggestions and applies them to practical teaching so as to improve the teaching quality. All of the data the research has been getting is from Kaggle math students. The data set contains nearly 400 pieces of relevant educational data about students, and there are dozens of factors that affect the performance of each student, such as parental cohabitation, educational support and the desire for higher education. The topic of our study is to analyze the impact of students family situations and educational support on their math performance by using the C4.5 algorithm in the decision tree algorithm as an auxiliary tool. And this paper finally came to this interesting conclusion: motivated students with poor parental relationships and little educational support from school and family tend to do better in math.

Strengthening and supporting parent–child relationships through digital technology: Benefits and challenges

AbstractObjectiveThis paper explores Australian military families' use of social media and digital communication to maintain and strengthen parent–child relationships during military deployments.BackgroundThe physical and emotional well‐being of children and partners of military serving members is affected by service. Maintaining positive family relationships between military members and their children during periods of absence (including deployment) is important for parental relationships as well as the well‐being of the child.MethodA qualitative meta‐analysis is used to collate data from two previous studies of Australian Defence Force (ADF) families with children, in order to generate a new data set from which novel insights were drawn.ResultsFamilies show a preference for social media and digital communication methods, and digital technologies affordances and practicalities are well suited for Defence families with children. There are a range of benefits; digital technologies are used to strengthen relationships between children and their deployed parent. The study highlights a range of challenges for deployed parents as well as points to the work required from the at‐home parent in facilitating these connections.ConclusionMaintaining positive family relationships between military members and their children during times of absences is important for both relationships. This paper explores how ADF families use social and digital communication during military absences and outlines the role these technologies play as a medium for strengthening familial relationship.Implications.The findings of this paper highlight the importance of digital and social communication technologies for supporting families during absences. This has implications for the ADF, who might look to reduce members' access to such communication for security concerns. Reduced family well‐being may also have impacts on retention, a key issue for military organizations. Accordingly, the findings of this paper may be used to inform decisions about restricting internet and social media access for deployed military members.

Explaining the Role of Sociological Factors in Students' Tendency to Abuse Drugs Subject of Study: The Second Year of High School in Khalkhal City

The tendency of students to risky behaviors is one of the important social issues that affects social bonds, human capital and social health of students. This research has been done with the aim of explaining the impact of sociological factors on the tendency of students towards high-risk substance abuse behavior, using the theories of Durkheim's anomie, Sutherland's differential bond, Hershey's social control, Simen's social alienation. The research method, survey and data collection tool is a researcher-made questionnaire. The statistical population of the research included all second year high school students in the academic year of 1401-1400 in Khalkhal city, and the sample size was determined using Cochran's formula of 280 people.The findings of the research showed that the students' average tendency towards high-risk substance abuse behavior is lower than the hypothetical average. Inferential analysis of the hypotheses confirmed the effect of socializing with others, use of emerging media, participation in school affairs, parental relationship breakdown, and the feeling of relative deprivation in people's tendency to risky behaviors.

A latent class analysis of change and continuity in adolescent health and wellbeing in England during the decline in youth alcohol consumption: A repeat cross-sectional study

In England, the proportion of 13–15 year-olds who have ever drunk alcohol fell from 71% in 1999 to 35% in 2019. Despite substantial research literature studying this decline, we know little about connections with concurrent shifts in wider aspects of health and wellbeing. This paper aims to identify how indicators of health and wellbeing cluster within 15-year-olds in England, identify changes in clustering over time, and explore associations with sex and family affluence. We used latent class analysis of cross-sectional data from the Health Behaviours in School-aged Children study (n = 5,942; four waves 2001/02–2013/14). Classes were defined by indicators of substance use, sexual activity, diet, exercise, school-related measures, e-media use, parental relationships, and wellbeing. We identified three classes, which we labelled Overall unhealthy, Substance abstainers with behavioural risk indicators, and Overall healthy. The probability of being in the Overall unhealthy class fell (2001/02: 0.39; 2013/14: 0.18) while the probability of being in the Overall healthy class increased (0.21 to 0.41). The probability of weekly alcohol use fell in all classes (e.g. Overall unhealthy: 0.71 to 0.28). Females (female vs male OR: 1.74 95%CI: 1.30 – 2.34) and those with low family affluence (high vs low family affluence OR: 0.18 95%CI: 0.08 – 0.44) had significantly higher odds of being in the Overall unhealthy class. Overall, adolescents became more likely to have co-occurring indicators of good health and wellbeing, including reduced alcohol consumption, sexual activity and cigarette smoking. However, girls and those from poorer families remained more likely to have poor health and wellbeing.

COVID-19's shadow on families: A structural equation model of parental stress, family relationships, and child wellbeing.

The present study seeks to contribute to developmental science in emergencies by investigating associations between COVID-19 pandemic-related stressors, parents' stress, family relationships, and child wellbeing. In doing so, we build on recent research that generalizes the assumptions of the Family Stress Model beyond direct economic stressors of households to macro-contextual stressors that operate at the societal level. In the case of our study, these stressors relate to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as health risks and confinement-related stresses. Participants were 783 parents of young children (75% female, Mage = 34.61 years) residing in the United Arab Emirates. They completed an online survey in Fall 2020 and Spring 2021, measuring how the pandemic impacted their lives and the lives of their child (Mage = 47.54 months). A subsample of parents (n = 96) completed the survey for two children. Structural equation modeling showed that pandemic-related stressors contributed to higher stress among parents which, in turn, resulted in lower parent-reported child wellbeing at various times during the pandemic. Family relationships mediated the association between parents' stress and child wellbeing. The present study contributes to our understanding on how large-scale disruption due to COVID-19 pandemic-related stressors gets inside the family, the strength and direction of associations (concurrently and over time), and the timing of mechanisms that impact family processes. The results highlight the need to support families with young children in managing disruptions due to emergencies, such as a global public health crisis, and to determine ways of preventing longstanding consequences on family structures and children's lives.

Risk for referral to the child welfare system following parental relationship transitions in Norway

BackgroundThere is a lack of knowledge concerning how changes in family structures are associated with involvement in child welfare systems. Particularly little attention has been paid to the role of parental relationship transitions, which may involve major changes in the lives of children and parents in terms of housing, finances, and relationship boundaries between family members. ObjectiveTo investigate how transitions in parental relationship status are linked to referrals to the child welfare system. Participants and settingAll children born in Norway in 1995 (N = 60,218) and 2005 (N = 56,644) and their parents. MethodsThis retrospective birth cohort study consisted of child welfare statistics merged with various registers from Statistics Norway. Logistic panel-data models were used to examine the relationship between the occurrence of a parental relationship transition and referral to the child welfare system. Four types of relationship transitions were analyzed: (1) couple to a single mother, (2) couple to a single father, (3) single mother to a couple, and (4) single father to a couple. ResultsThe occurrence of any type of relationship transition increased the likelihood of referral to the child welfare system in the year that the transition occurred, with the transitions to single motherhood, to single fatherhood, and from single fatherhood to a couple associated with greater odds of referral than the transition from single motherhood to a couple. ConclusionsUnderstanding how parental relationship transitions are associated with referrals to the child welfare system is important to appropriately facilitate help to families in need.

Looking Beyond the Sorting Hat: Deconstructing the “Five Factor Model” of Alienation

ABSTRACT One of the most common dilemmas encountered in today’s family courts is the child who is strongly aligned with Parent A and rejects parent B. In the interest of supporting these children’s opportunity to enjoy a healthy relationship with both of their caregivers, one can work to determine which parent is to blame or what combination of parent behavior, relationship dynamics, and practical circumstances result in this outcome. The Five Factor Model (FFM) does the former, promoting a stepwise approach to “diagnosing” parental alienation. This paper demonstrates that for all of its appeal, the FFM is deeply flawed and promotes a binary (good guy/bad guy) approach that readily exacerbates family tensions. We reject the FFM and advocate instead for a balanced conceptualization of the child’s larger relationship ecology. A rubric guiding this ecological approach (Garber, in press 2023) is recommended.

Social network usage among medical students and its relationship with stress

Objective: The increasing use of social network sites has become a globally widespread phenomenon. It is also known that medical students are being exposed to several stress factors. This study aims to predict the social networking habits and stress levels of medical students, as well as investigating the relationship between social network usage and stress levels, including personal attributes. Methods: A questionnaire, involving the perceived stress scale and other characteristics of the participants, was carried out on 1311 medical students, educated at Xxxxxxx University Medical Faculty during the 2017-2018 academic years. This is a cross-sectional study, and the dataset was analysed by logistic regression. Results: Students who use any one of the three main social network sites (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) were 1203 (91.8%), and there were found to be 108 students who used no social media (8.2%). Of the students, 992 (75.7%) used Facebook, 928 (70.8%) used Instagram and 512 (39.1%) used Twitter. 269 students (20.5%) used Facebook previously and now have stopped using it. A total of 766 (58.4%) students spent more than one hour per day on social media. According to the logistic regression analysis; the academic year of students, gender, unhappiness with being in the medical faculty, feeling lonely, stress coping scores and stable parental relationships were related significantly to stress level. After adjusting other variables, frequent social media users were 1.3 times more stressed than others (OR=1.35; 95% CI=1.05-1.74; p

The Impact of Covid-19 on Social Relations among Jordanian Families in Amman

Objectives: This study aims to investigate how the Covid-19 pandemic affected social relations among Jordanian families, including social and parental relationships. Furthermore, it aims to highlight the influence of the pandemic on family cohesiveness and stability. Methods: A qualitative technique was used, being effective in extracting information on the influence of Covid-19 on Jordanian family relations (BTS Academy, 2018). The members of the study sample were sixteen Jordanian couples having children living in Amman. They were interviewed during November 2021. Results: The results reveal that Covid-19 has a significant impact on social relations among family members, because of drastic and dramatic changes in the social and economic lifestyle. These changes contributed to the increase of violence between spouses. Surprisingly, the results show that, during the pandemic, the level of disagreement and conflict between parents and children was reduced. The results also indicate that Covid-19 had an influence not only on family interactions, but also on family atmosphere, namely the stability and coherence within that atmosphere. Conclusions: The research recommends providing online counseling sessions by family-focused institutions to couples to assist them in adapting to the changes that have occurred in their relationships throughout the epidemic.

PSYCHOSOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF ACADEMIC PERFORMACE AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to investigate and examine the social and psychological factors which are influencing the student’s academic performance. The study focuses on opinions of undergraduate and graduate students on psychosocial factors which are influencing their academic performance. STUDY DESIGN The qualitative research design was used in the present research. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY The present study was conducted in Lahore, Pakistan from December-September, 2020. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Purposive samples of 35 female university student’s age range 18-25years from Lahore College for Women University were interviewed. Focus Group Discussions (FGD) were employed as a tool for data collection. Five Focus Group Discussion (FGD) were conducted. All the collected information was than analyzed and interpreted. Thematic Analysis (TA) research was used. RESULTS Results of thematic analysis showed that financial issues, mobile misuse, Teacher student relationship, Role of family, Peer group, Environment, Stress, Child parent relationship, learning issues and Distance were the most frequently occurring psychosocial determinants which were influencing the academic progress of university students. CONCLUSION Based on the above-mentioned result it can be concluded that student’s educational progress is determined by psychosocial factors such as financial issues, mobile misuse, roles of family, peer group, teacher student relationship, parent child relationship, and environment, stress, distance and learning issues. KEYWORDS Psychosocial, Academic Performance, Focus Group Discussions (FGD), Thematic Analysis (TA)

Biological sensitivity to adolescent-parent discrepancies in perceived parental warmth

IntroductionParenting behaviors are formative to the psychological development of young people; however, parent and adolescent perceptions of parenting are only moderately correlated with each other. Whereas discrepant perceptions may represent a normative process of deindividuation from caregivers in some adolescents, in others a discrepancy might predict psychological maladjustment. The biological sensitivity to context model provides a framework from which individual differences in development can be estimated in adolescents whose perceptions of parenting diverge from those of their parents. MethodsAt baseline we obtained diurnal cortisol samples from US adolescents (M = 13.37 years of age, SD = 1.06) as well as parents' and adolescents’ ratings of parental warmth; we obtained adolescent-reported symptoms of psychopathology at baseline and again at follow-up two years later (N = 108, 57.5% female). We estimated waking cortisol, cortisol awakening response, and daytime cortisol slopes using piecewise regression models. ResultsLower adolescent than parent ratings of parental warmth predicted increased externalizing symptoms at follow-up. Higher waking cortisol and steeper cortisol awakening response and daytime slopes predicted increased internalizing symptoms at follow-up. Further, discrepant ratings of parental warmth interacted with cortisol awakening response and daytime slopes such that greater discrepancies predicted greater increases in externalizing symptoms in adolescents with steeper cortisol slopes. ConclusionsThese findings indicate that steeper changes in cortisol production throughout the day index a greater sensitivity to perceived parental warmth. Lower adolescent than parent ratings of parental warmth may represent dysfunction in the parental relationship rather than a normative process of deindividuation in adolescents with steeper diurnal cortisol slopes.

Parent-preferred childcare environment styles: A latent class analysis and association with parental stress

In recent years, child-rearing dimensions have been widely used as predictor variables. However, they are rarely examined as outcomes. Moreover, little is known about what constitutes good parenting. We aimed to identify the potential groups related to parents’ childcare environment preferences and examine its association with parental stress. We conducted a cross-sectional survey in government-licensed childcare centers among families with children aged 3–5 years across Japan. We investigated the childcare environment based on five dimensions—human stimulation, social stimulation, avoidance of restriction, parent cooperation, and social support—and sources of high parental stress, including childcare, health status, relationships, work, and others. The potential childcare environment groups were explored using latent class analysis. The relationship between parental stress and childcare environment was analyzed using a chi-square test and logistic regression model. Moreover, data from 928 families were collected and used for the analysis. Two latent class models were identified: a favorable childcare environment with high parent cooperation (F-H; probability = 76.4 %) and moderate childcare environment with low parent cooperation (M-L; probability = 23.6 %). High stress from childcare, health status, relationships, work, and other stressors were significantly related to M-L. Knowing the results would add evidence to childcare practice.

Parental and Child Factors Associated With Internet Addiction in Children.

Internet addiction has negative effects on psychological development, interpersonal relationships, and social adaptation in 10-year-old elementary school students. This study aimed to identify parental and child characteristics related to Internet addiction in lower-grade elementary school children. This study used a secondary data analysis. Data from the tenth Panel Study on Korean Children were used. In total, 1224 ten-year-old elementary school students were included in the analysis. The questionnaire included general, parental, and child characteristics. Of all child participants, 18.5% were in the high-risk group for Internet addiction. Lower paternal and maternal spousal satisfaction, maternal education level of high school graduate or lower, and greater permissive parenting by the mother were associated with higher odds of Internet addiction among their children. Moreover, boys and children who spent more than an hour per day without adults showed higher odds of Internet addiction. The results of this study indicate that the implementation of an intervention that improves parenting and family relationships and positively changes the environment in which children are brought up is necessary.

Relational and physical aggression in preschool-age children: Associations with teacher, parent, sibling, and peer relationship quality.

Early childhood relationships with teachers, parents, siblings, and peers are foundational factors for later social functioning. High rates of childhood aggression have been associated with negative developmental consequences, however, the associations between child aggression on the quality of these formative relationships have not been studied extensively. In a sample of young children attending preschool (N = 114, Mage = 46.27 months, SD = 9.94, 40% girls), this study investigated associations between early childhood relational and physical aggression and the quality of concurrent teacher-child and parent-child closeness and conflict, sibling relationship quality, and positive peer interactions and peer rejection. Early childhood relational and physical aggression was associated with negative teacher-child relationships, and this was true for boys and girls. Differential patterns of prediction were found for relational and physical aggression on the other relationship variables. Relational aggression strongly predicted more positive peer interactions, whereas physical aggression predicted fewer positive peer interactions and greater peer rejection. Early childhood relational aggression predicted higher levels of teacher-child closeness, whereas physical aggression predicted lower levels of teacher-child closeness and fewer positive sibling interactions. These findings challenge common perceptions that aggression is negatively associated with relationship quality. Notably, relational aggression relative to physical aggression may be associated with some favorable relationship outcomes. We did not find support for an additive model of aggression whereby children who were both relationally and physically aggressive (co-morbid) were at higher risk for negative relationship quality. Implications of these findings for future research and prevention and intervention are discussed.

How Schroth Therapists Vary the Implementation of Schroth Worldwide for Adolescents with Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Mixed Methods Study.

(1) Background: Schroth is a type of physiotherapeutic scoliosis specific exercise (PSSE) prescribed to adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Studies have investigated the effectiveness of Schroth but are yet to elucidate how Schroth is applied clinically and the factors that influence their prescription. (2) Methods: A mixed methods design was used comprising an anonymous survey and semi-structured interviews of Schroth therapists who treated AIS and who were publicly listed on the Barcelona Scoliosis Physical Therapy School or the International Schroth 3-dimensional Scoliosis Therapy School websites. The survey included 64 questions covering demographics, session and treatment characteristics, and whether therapists included other treatment modalities in their clinical practice. A convenience sample of survey participants were invited to participate in a semi-structured interview to further explore the factors that influenced their prescription of Schroth for AIS. Results from the survey were analyzed descriptively (n, %), whereas inductive thematic analysis was used for the interviews. (3) Results: of the 173 survey respondents (18% response rate), most were from Europe and North America (64.0%), female (78.6%), physiotherapists (96.0%), and worked in private settings (72.3%). Fifty-two per cent of participants used other types of PSSE as an adjunct to Schroth, the Scientific Exercise Approach to Scoliosis (SEAS) being the most frequently used (37.9%). Non-PSSE methods were used 'at some point' as an adjunct by 98.8% of participants, including massage and other soft tissue techniques (80.9%), Pilates (46.6%), and Yoga (31.5%). The Schroth techniques used by all survey respondents included breathing and pelvic corrections. Seven participants were interviewed, but data saturation was achieved after only four interviews. Thematic analysis revealed four, inter-related broad themes describing the factors that influenced Schroth prescription for AIS: (1) the adolescent as a whole, including physical, emotional and mental characteristics, and patient goals, (2) family, including parent relationship with the adolescent and the motivation of parents in regard to Schroth, (3) the systems within which the treatment was being offered, such as vicinity to the clinic and the presence of financial insurance support, and (4) therapist characteristics, such as their training and experience. (4) Conclusions: Schroth therapists worldwide use a variety of adjunctive methods to treat AIS. Therapists prescribing Schroth exercises to AIS consider the complex interplay of intra-, inter- and extra-personal factors in clinical practice. These considerations move beyond the three components of evidence-based practice of research, patient preferences, and clinical expertise, towards a systems-based reflection on exercise prescription.

Proximal Processes and Contextual Factors Associated with Early Socio-emotional Competence Development.

There is growing interest in child socio-emotional competence from parents, educators, employers and policy makers, with emphasis on developing it as early as possible. The aim of the present study was to examine contextual and proximal factors that influence socio-emotional competence development across the first five years of a child's life. We used data from 3200 mothers and their children drawn mostly from four major data collection waves (antenatal, 9 months, 2 years and 4.5 years) of the population-based longitudinal study, Growing Up in New Zealand. Regression analyses were carried out to identify the predictors of socio-emotional competence after controlling for demographics and prior score(s) of socio-emotional competence. We found that specific maternal behaviours, such as playing games and playing with toys with children, singing songs or telling stories to them, reading books with them, having rules around viewing TV, DVDs and videos, and praising children have a positive effect on socio-emotional competence. Parental relationship warmth and less family stress at 9 months also made positive contributions to socio-emotional competence at 9 months and 2 years. In contrast, attending childcare and having more siblings at home negatively predicted socio-emotional competence at 9 months. Mother's unemployment, living in neighbourhoods perceived as negative and being in contact with family and social services were negatively associated with concurrent socio-emotional competence at 2 years. Overall, more and/or stronger contemporaneous effects were found suggesting that negative effects of contextual factors may not have lasting impact on socio-emotional competence. In addition, the results showed that maternal behaviours need to be practised regularly to have positive impact on child's socio-emotional development.

An intergenerational study of parental bonding on perceptions of parental and spousal criticism and marital relationship quality in Singapore.

Criticism is a form of interpersonal social rejection and destructive conflict behavior which has been associated with poor relationship outcomes in both parent-child and marital relationships. However, the role of the individual's perceptions of parental and spousal criticism in influencing the perceptions of criticism of other members in the family unit has not been examined. This study investigated the associations between parental bonding and perceptions of parental and spousal criticism across generations in Singapore. In all, 134 Singaporean married parent dyads (G2) and one child (G3) of each dyad were recruited. G2 parent participants completed the Perceived Criticism measure for their parents (G1) and spouses, the Parental Bonding Instrument and the Quality of Marriage Index. G3 children participants completed the Perceived Criticism measure for their parents (G2). Path analysis found that G2 perceptions of parental bonding were significant predictors of G2's perceptions of G1 parental criticism, which significantly predicted both G2's perceptions of spousal criticism and G3's perceptions of G2 parental criticism. Perceptions of spousal criticism were also found to predict marital relationship quality in G2 participants. Findings highlight the intergenerational transmission of perceptions of criticism across relationships in the family unit, providing support that parenting practices and communication patterns in one generation can predict those in the next generation in the Singaporean context. Future studies can look to replicate the findings in other cultures and include further investigations into sibling relationships as well.

3 Defining loneliness for older adults: a multi-study synthesis

Abstract Background Loneliness is an unpleasant experience linked to multiple adverse health outcomes, but we lack effective interventions to reduce or prevent it. Most interventions are based on a social psychological definition of loneliness (“a perceived discrepancy between actual and desired social relationships, but such interventions are typically unsuccessful. A recent umbrella review of loneliness interventions suggests that they should target specific population subgroups to be effective. This means that we may need more specific definitions of loneliness. In this presentation, I will integrate data from across studies to present an integrated definition of loneliness for older adults. Methods Across two qualitative grounded theory studies, we interviewed two samples of adults aged 60 and over: one living rurally and identifying as socially isolated; the other spousal dementia caregivers whose spouse recently moved to long term care. Data from these studies were integrated and framed in the context of a theoretical synthesis of loneliness we published and recently updated. Results Loneliness was defined in multiple ways, arising from boredom or inactivity, vulnerability, passivity, giving way to predictable behavioural patterns such as distracting tasks, and affective responses such as self-pity. We integrated this with our theoretical synthesis, which frames loneliness as arising from factors on proximate levels (loss of intimate partners, parental relationships, life transitions), as well as more distal influences such as the social network, and culture). Conclusion We argue for cohort-specific definitions of loneliness since these are likeliest to lead to effective interventions. We offer some possible definitions and aspects of loneliness to focus upon in interventions for older adults.