Parental Adjustment Research Articles

Burning the candle at both ends: The role of financial contingency of self-worth and work-family conflict on job and parental well-being

Work and family reflect two key aspects of people's everyday lives. For some individuals, however, these two domains may be viewed as incompatible with each other, as duties associated with one role may be perceived as interfering with the other role. In the present study, we propose that the degree to which people base their self-worth on financial success, or have Financially Contingent Self-Worth (FCSW), is a unique risk factor for experiencing work-family conflict (WFC) and negative outcomes associated with this conflict. Supporting this idea, a study of 260 working parents in the U.S. found that individuals with higher FCSW were more likely to experience competing demands between work and family roles. Greater WFC was linked to problems in both jobs and parenting roles, including feeling more burned out and less attentive and engaged. Furthermore, these individuals felt less happy, less satisfied with life, and perceived less meaning and purpose in life. Findings emerged even after accounting for demographic variables, perceived economic pressures, and materialism. Together, these findings reveal that pursuing financial success for self-esteem reasons is a unique vulnerability factor for experiencing WFC, which incurs costs to people's job and parental adjustment as well as to their overall well-being.

부모의 조건부 관심철회가 기본심리욕구를 매개로 대학생의 학교생활적응에 미치는 영향

Objectives The purposes of this study is to analyze the relationship between parental conditional negative regard and mediation effect by basic psychological needs on university’s school. adjustment. Methods To accomplish such purpose, 306 university students living near from Seoul (the capital of South Korea) have been analyzed by using descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling(SEM). Results The result therefrom has showed that the basic psychological needs have mediated the relationship between parental conditional negative regard control and university student's school adjustment. The results for the individual mediated effects of the basic psychological needs as follows. 1. Relatedness and competence mediated the relationship between parental conditional negative regard control and niversity student's school adjustment; 2. Autonomy, competence and relatedness have been directly affected by the parental conditional negative regard; and 3. The university student's school adjustment has been directly affected by competence and relatedness. Conclusions ThIt is deduced by the results above that parents' conditional negative regard has negatively affected their children as a control parenting and that importance of creating environments meeting students’ basic psychological needs should be emphasized.

Parental Adjustment Scale: Validation of a brief, five-item measure of parental adjustment for use with families of typically developing children and children with developmental and/or intellectual disabilities in Australia

BackgroundExplores the validity of the five-item parental adjustment scale, a subscale of the previously validated Parenting and Family Adjustment Scales. AimThe aim was to assess the factor structure and convergent validity of a measure of parental adjustment within parents of typically developing children and parents of childiren with developmental and/or intellectual disabilities. Methods and proceduresCross-sectional survey data was analysed from Australian parents of children aged 2-12 years who were typically developing children (N = 683) and had developmental and/or intellectual disabilities (N = 756). Confirmatory factor analyses and multi-group structural equation modelling examined if the factor structure performed similarly across the two populations. Convergent validity was assessed. Outcomes and resultsThe confirmatory factor analysis supported the hypothesised one-factor structure for the parental adjustment scale in both populations. Partial measurement invariance confirmed that the scale was structurally consistent within both parent groups. The convergent validity was supported by significant correlations with the DASS-21 in the disability population and the K10 in the typically developing population. Conclusions and implicationsThis brief, easily administered, five-item scale demonstrates strong potential in assessing parental adjustment, within both parents of typically developing children and parents of children with developmental and/or intellectual disabilities.

Raising a Child with Craniosynostosis: Psychosocial Adjustment in Caregivers.

While knowledge of the psychosocial impact of craniofacial conditions is growing, literature regarding the impact on parents remains limited. Parents of children born with a health condition may be at risk of experiencing a range of psychosocial challenges. This study conducted an initial investigation of psychosocial adjustment of parents of individuals with craniosynostosis to inform support provision for families. An online UK-wide mixed-methods survey was distributed to members of Headlines Craniofacial Support. Quantitative data including standardized measures were analysed using descriptive statistics and independent samples t-tests, and inductive content analysis was used for open-ended questions. Mothers (n = 109) and fathers (n = 9) of individuals ages 3 months to 49 years with single suture (63%) or syndromic (33%) craniosynostosis participated. Compared to the general population, parents of individuals with craniosynostosis reported higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression; lower levels of resilience and optimism. Qualitative responses provided insight into parents' experiences of birth, diagnosis, healthcare provision, familial wellbeing, and relationships. Parents reported several unmet information and support needs, alongside a range of positive outcomes. This study illustrates the potential long-term psychosocial implications for parents raising children with craniosynostosis. There is a need for routine psychological screening for family members and provision of appropriate psychological support for those at risk for distress. Non-specialist health professionals may benefit from additional training about craniofacial conditions so they are better equipped to support and refer families.

Child welfare involvement and adjustment among care alumni and their children: A systematic review of risk and protective factors

BackgroundRecent research and policy recognize care alumni (i.e., adults formerly in out-of-home care [OHC]) as a population with a high accumulation of disadvantages well into adulthood, often in combination with early parenthood compared to the general population. ObjectiveThe aim of this systematic review is to provide an overview on the impact of parental OHC on outcomes for both parents (i.e. parental adjustment, parenting) and their children (i.e. prevalence rates of OHC or child welfare system (CWS) involvement, adjustment, development), as well as protective and risk factors associated with those outcomes. MethodsRelevant articles were searched in four electronic databases from conception to 16 February 2022 according to PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews; supplemented with hand-searched citations from relevant references. Evidence was synthesized via a qualitative summary. ResultsA total of 38 studies were included (19 quantitative, 14 qualitative, and 5 mixed-methods studies). Studies confirm increased rates of early parenthood among care alumni and an elevated risk of OHC among their children. However, most children remain with their care alumni parents, and some parents were met with the needed support to cope with challenging circumstances. Qualitative studies point to a great need for specialized services, including parenting programs that address past trauma and attachment issues. They also highlight potential protective factors. ConclusionsFindings suggest that care alumni parents experience compounding disadvantage, which may increase their children's risk of OHC. More research is needed on child adjustment, and on protective factors that can be leveraged to design effective interventions that decrease transgenerational CWS involvement.

Psychological Wellbeing, Dyadic Adjustment, and Parental Stress among Spanish Families during the COVID-19 Outbreak.

Due to COVID-19, many countries, like Spain, imposed lockdown on the entire population to prevent the virus from spreading. The purpose of this exploratory study is to investigate the severity of psychological symptoms, dyadic adjustment, and parental stress of parents during the first three weeks of the outbreak. It also aims to identify several risk factors that contribute to this distress. A total of 727 parents completed a form on an online platform with sociodemographic data, BSI- 18, EAD-13, and the Spanish version of the PPS. Linear regression analyses were used to explore the significant associations between the sample characteristics (sociodemographic variables and their lockdown circumstances) and parents’ psychological symptoms, dyadic adjustment, and parenting stress level during the COVID-19 epidemic. Most parents maintained good emotional, personal, conjugal, and family stability; however, female gender, not living with the partner, having a child with a mental disorder and were unable to balance the work and family lives were significantly associated with greater psychological distress. Being receiving psychiatric or psychological treatment has also been associated with poorer psychological and partner adjustment during the outbreak. It is essential to continue researching the impact of lockdowns on families so that, both the government and public health authorities, can offer resources to the most vulnerable families.

Effectiveness of Attachment-based Theraplay on Parental Self-Efficacy, Emotion Regulatoin and Social Adjustment in Children with Separation Anxiety: A Case report

Effectiveness of Attachment-based Theraplay on Parental Self-Efficacy, Emotion Regulatoin and Social Adjustment in Children with Separation Anxiety: A Case report

Maternal caring ability with the preterm infant: A Rogerian concept analysis.

To analyze the concept of maternal caring ability for a preterm infant to develop an operational definition. Each year, many newborns are born preterm and admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Although their mothers are prepared for discharge home by the staff, it is difficult to identify an operational definition of their maternal caring ability for the preterm infant. Concept analysis. Searches used PubMed, as the primary health-related literature, ProQuest, Science Direct, CINHAL, web of science, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Keywords caring ability, mother, andpreterm infant were used to analyze the development of the concept from 1965 to 2020. Rogers' and Knafl's evolutionary approach has been used to explain the concept of maternal caring ability for the preterm infant. The combined searches yielded 23,291 documents published in English. After the screening process, 43 documents were selected. The Graneheim and Lundman analysis method was used to identify the themes related to the attributes of maternal caring ability. Findings showed the caring ability to have four antecedents (maternal characteristics, support systems, infant characteristics, and the illness severity), four attributes (knowledge and skill in neonatal care, self-efficacy, sensitivity, responsibility, and problem-solving), and three consequences (parental adjustment, improving infant growth and development, and improving parent-infant relationships). The caring ability of the mother of a preterm infant is grounded in an adequate knowledge of caregiving needs of a preterm infant, high caregiving skills, a sense of self-efficacy, problem-solving, sensitivity, and responsibility.

Promoting Positive Relationship Between Parents and Grandparents: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Group Triple P Plus Compassion in Vietnam

In Vietnamese culture, grandparents are significantly involved in the upbringing of grandchildren. This involvement of grandparents entails lots of ambiguities and challenges. Boundaries between parents and grandparents are often unclear, and communication can be restricted due to power differentials, leading to inconsistent discipline. This study seeks to evaluate the efficacy of the Group Triple P–Positive Parenting Program plus Building Coparenting Alliance—a compassion-focused module to promote the parent-grandparents relationship. One hundred Vietnamese parents whose parents or parent in-laws provided care for their children were randomly assigned to either an intervention condition (n = 50) or a waitlist control condition (n = 50). Both groups were assessed at three time-points (pre-intervention, post-intervention, and 6-month follow-up). The short-term intervention effects were found across domains, including co-parenting conflict, parents' self-compassion, dysfunctional parenting, parenting self-efficacy, parental adjustment, child behavioral problems and child prosocial behaviors. Intervention effects on co-parenting conflict, parenting behaviors, and the child's prosocial behaviors were maintained at a 6-month follow-up. This study demonstrates the efficacy of Triple P plus compassion in promoting co-parenting relationships between parents and grandparents, enhancing parenting practice and child outcomes in Vietnamese families.

Up all night? Sleep disruption in parents of young children newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

Despite the known challenges of parental adjustment to new-onset type 1 diabetes (T1D) in young children, little is known about parental sleep soon after diagnosis. Parents (n= 157) of young children (4.5 ± 1.6 years) with new-onset T1D (29 ± 15 days) self-reported their sleep (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, PSQI) at the baseline of a behavioral randomized control trial. We examined sleep patterns and relations with continuous glucose monitor (CGM) use. Over two-thirds (68.8%) reported poor sleep quality (PSQI > 5, M= 8.3 ± 4.1). The mean reported sleep duration was 5.9 ± 1.4 h/night. PSQI scores did not significantly differ by CGM use. Sleep disruption is a pervasive self-reported problem among parents of young children emerging early after the T1D diagnosis. Healthcare providers should discuss parental sleep as part of diabetes care soon after diagnosis. Further interventions targeting parental sleep may be of benefit.

Child, Parent, and Family Adjustment for Patients Followed in a Multidisciplinary Spina Bifida Clinic.

To characterize child, parent, and family adjustment for patients followed in a multidisciplinary spina bifida (SB) clinic. Participants were drawn from clinical cases seen through a multidisciplinary outpatient SB clinic at a children's hospital between 2017 and 2019. Participants included 209 youth under 19 years old who were diagnosed with SB and their parents. Self-reported internalizing symptoms were measured in youth in grade 3 through 12 using the 25-item Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale-25 (RCADS-25). Self- and parent-reported quality of life and family functioning were obtained using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) 4.0 Generic Core Scales and Family Impact Modules. A total of 45.7% of children and adolescents reported at-risk psychosocial functioning on the PedsQL. In contrast, only 5% of patients reported clinically elevated internalizing symptoms on the RCADS. Parents' quality of life and family functioning in the study were higher than in most studies of parents of children with other chronic health conditions, children with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, and healthy control samples. Our findings indicate that children and adolescents with SB are at risk for poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL); however, poorer HRQOL may not necessarily be associated with more severe psychiatric symptoms in this population. Examining resilience factors that may help to buffer against challenges to HRQOL will be important in informing future interventions.

The effectiveness of the Stepping Stones Triple P seminars for Korean families of a child with a developmental disability

BackgroundChildren with a developmental disability (DD) are more likely to develop behavioral problems. The Stepping Stones Triple P Positive Parenting Program (SSTP) for parents of children with a DD has demonstrated effectiveness for improving parenting practices and reducing child behavior problems. However, there is scant research in Asian countries and with less intensive SSTP interventions. AimThis study examined the effectiveness of the SSTP seminars for Korean parents of a child with a DD. MethodsParents were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 21) or a delayed intervention group (n = 17). Data was collected on child adjustment problems, parenting practices, parental adjustment, and family relationships from both groups at pre- and post-intervention, and from the intervention group at 4-month follow-up. Twelve parents provided post-intervention interview data. ResultsA series of one-way Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) were used to examine differences between the intervention and delayed intervention groups at post-intervention. Significant short-term intervention effects were found for reductions in child behavior and emotional difficulties, and dysfunctional parenting practices. These improvements were maintained 4-months later by the intervention group. At post-intervention, inter-parental child-rearing conflict was reduced as a trend, with a moderate effect size. Interviews provided additional insights into the benefits gained from program participation. ConclusionsFindings, for parents within this study, contribute to the evidence base for the effectiveness of the SSTP seminars.

Parenting Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: An RCT of an online course with families of children with CP

AimTo test an online course Parenting Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (PACT) in an RCT with families of children with cerebral palsy (CP), predicting improvements in emotional availability and parent and child adjustment. Method67 families of children (2–10 years) with CP participated. Families were randomly assigned to waitlist control or PACT. Assessments at baseline, post-intervention and at six-month follow up (durability of intervention effects) focussed on emotional availability, adjustment and quality of life. Analysis consisted of repeated measure linear regression models. ResultsAt postintervention (T2), an intervention effect was demonstrated for two aspects of observed emotional availability: parental non-intrusiveness MD = 0.68 (−0.56 to 1.92), p = 0.050 and child involvement, MD = 0.91 (−0.36 to 2.18), p = 0.011. An intervention effect was also found for the parent-reported emotional availability in terms of child involvement. Further intervention effects were found in parent-report measures of child quality of life (social wellbeing and acceptance, participation and physical health), parental mindfulness, parental acceptance, support, social connection, and meaning. No effects were found on parent or child adjustment. Analyses focussed on durability of intervention effect, collapsed across groups, indicated that effects persisted at 6 month follow up (T4). InterpretationPACT demonstrated an intervention effect for two aspects of emotional availability−parental non-intrusiveness and child involvement−as well as parental mindfulness and child quality of life. Parents reported increased comfort with the CP diagnosis, higher likelihood to seek support, higher likelihood to stay connected to others and greater meaningful living. PACT is an effective online/telehealth parenting support intervention for parents of children with CP.

Connecting Healthcare with Income Maximisation Services: A Systematic Review on the Health, Wellbeing and Financial Impacts for Families with Young Children.

Financial counselling and income-maximisation services have the potential to reduce financial hardship and its associated burdens on health and wellbeing in High Income Countries. However, referrals to financial counselling services are not systematically integrated into existing health service platforms, thus limiting our ability to identify and link families who might be experiencing financial hardship. Review evidence on this is scarce. The purpose of this study is to review “healthcare-income maximisation” models of care in high-income countries for families of children aged between 0 and 5 years experiencing financial difficulties, and their impacts on family finances and the health and wellbeing of parent(s)/caregiver(s) or children. A systematic review of the MEDLINE, EMBase, PsycInfo, CINAHL, ProQuest, Family & Society Studies Worldwide, Cochrane Library, and Informit Online databases was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systemic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. A total of six studies (five unique samples) met inclusion criteria, which reported a total of 11,603 families exposed to a healthcare-income maximisation model. An average annual gain per person of £1661 and £1919 was reported in two studies reporting one Scottish before–after study, whereby health visitors/midwives referred 4805 clients to money advice services. In another UK before–after study, financial counsellors were attached to urban primary healthcare centres and reported an average annual gain per person of £1058. The randomized controlled trial included in the review reported no evidence of impacts on financial or non-financial outcomes, or maternal health outcomes, but did observe small to moderate effects on child health and well-being. Small to moderate benefits were seen in areas relating to child health, preschool education, parenting, child abuse, and early behavioral adjustment. There was a high level of bias in most studies, and insufficient evidence to evaluate the effectiveness of healthcare-income maximisation models of care. Rigorous (RCT-level) studies with clear evaluations are needed to assess efficacy and effectiveness.

Effects of comorbid asthma and eczema on child and family quality of life.

Paediatric chronic health conditions are associated with poorer psychological wellbeing and quality of life for children and families. This study investigated differences in child and parent/family quality of life between families of children with asthma only, eczema only, or both asthma and eczema, and tested predictors of child and parent/family quality of life. A convenience sample of 106 families completed parent-report measures of child and parent/family quality of life, child emotional and behavioural difficulties, parent adjustment and parenting practices. Between-groups ANOVAs indicated no differences for child quality of life, whereas parent/family quality of life was worse for those with eczema only compared to asthma only. Multiple linear regression revealed that child emotional difficulties predicted worse child quality of life, whereas worse parent adjustment, child emotional difficulties and eczema only (compared to both asthma and eczema) predicted worse parent quality of life. Results suggest that families of children with eczema may be at particular risk for impaired parent/family quality of life. Interventions that take a family-centred approach to improving child and parent adjustment should be investigated as an adjunct to medical treatment to reduce the impact of chronic health conditions on quality of life for children and families.

The Effectiveness of Group Triple P for Chinese Immigrant Parents of School Age Children Living in New Zealand

AbstractThe study was a randomised controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of the Group Triple P Program for Chinese immigrant parents living in New Zealand. Sixty-seven Chinese immigrant parents of a 5- to 9-year-old child with disruptive behaviour problems were randomly allocated to either an intervention or a waitlist group. Parents completed measures of child adjustment problems, general parenting practices, parenting practices in children's academic lives, parental adjustment, parental teamwork, and family relationships at pre-, post-, and 4-month follow-up. Intervention group ratings of programme satisfaction were collected following programme completion. Significant short-term intervention effects were found for improvements in child behaviour, parenting practices, parental teamwork, and parenting in the child academic context. All intervention effects, except for parental teamwork, were maintained at 4-month follow-up. There were no significant intervention effects for parental adjustment, however, medium effect sizes were found at post-intervention and follow-up. A high level of programme satisfaction was reported.

Parental Self-Compassion and Child Adjustment: The Mediating Role of Parental Depressive Symptoms.

Previous research suggests that self-compassion is associated with mental health and well-being. However, little has been done to understand the role of self-compassion in the family context. Hence, the present study investigated the associations between parents’ self-compassion, parent’s depressive symptoms, and child adjustment. A total 189 Chinese parents (101 mothers) whose children were 2–8 years old were recruited to complete a questionnaire, including measures of parents’ self-compassion, depressive symptoms, and children’s prosocial behavior, internalizing problems, and externalizing problems. Findings indicated mediation effects, in that parents’ depressive symptoms mediated the association between their self-compassion and child adjustment outcomes, namely children’s internalizing and externalizing problems, after controlling for the effects of monthly family income, child gender, and parent gender. Competing hypothesis suggested that parents’ self-compassion did not moderate between parents’ depressive symptoms and child adjustment outcomes. Hence, the association between parental depressive symptoms and child adjustment was not dependent on the level of parents’ self-compassion. As an implication, researchers and practitioners should be made aware of the benefits of parents’ self-compassion on parents’ mental health and child adjustment.

Self-reported mental health in adolescents attending school and its association with later school dropout: A prospective 2.5-year follow-up study.

Mental health problems in young people are associated with educational outcomes. There are persistent difficulties in screening for these problems and mapping the trajectories of mental health in relation to academic and work outcomes. We investigated whether Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) scores in adolescents attending school were associated with school dropout in upper secondary school, both in adolescents with already recognised mental disorders and adolescents without known mental disorders. The data consisted of a questionnaire targeting 13,100 adolescents attending the final year of compulsory school combined with data derived from a national register. SDQ scores were divided into normal, borderline and abnormal scores. School dropout in upper secondary school was identified during a 2.5-years follow-up period. We stratified the data by recognised mental disorders. Logistic regression was performed to examine the association between SDQ scores and later school dropout with adjustment for parents' mental disorders, parents' educational level, sex, suicidal thoughts, school absence and negative childhood events. During follow-up, 18.5% of adolescents experienced school dropout. Adolescents with abnormally high SDQ scores and borderline SDQ scores had higher odds for school dropout than adolescents with SDQ scores in the normal range. The association remained in the adjusted analysis, although more covariates showed independent contributions in association with school dropout. Self-reported SDQ scores in adolescents attending school were associated with later school dropout irrespective of recognised mental disorders, indicating that markers such as the SDQ might contribute to the identification of vulnerable adolescent groups, although the findings of multifactorial contributions suggest we should consider more indicators in a risk assessment for school dropout.

Parental styles and their relationship to psychological adjustment among preparatory students

The current study aims to assess the patterns of parental style among adolescent students and assess the level of psychological adjustment among adolescent students to find out the significant relationship between parental style and psychological adjustment among adolescent students. A descriptive correlational design has been used in the present study using a simple random sample to select (381) students by using the self-report to select the students who will be recruited into the study. The result of the present study was showed that there are significant negative relationships between punitive and love withdrawal parental style, and psychological adjustment, in contrast, there is a positive relationship between indicative parental style and psychological adjustment among secondary and preparatory school students. We found also that more than half of the sample (52%) with moderate psychological adjustment and (45%) with good psychological adjustment, addition to (3%) with poor psychological adjustment.

Exploring the contribution of psychological flexibility processes and self-compassion to depression, anxiety and adjustment in parents of preterm infants

BackgroundThe preterm birth and subsequent hospitalisation of an infant is a challenging time for parents, leaving many parents vulnerable to depression, anxiety and difficulties with adjustment. Psychological flexibility and self-compassion have been theorised to enable effective functioning in such challenging contexts, which may help us understand variation in parental experiences and adjustment. PurposeTo investigate the extent to which psychological flexibility sub-processes (valued action, behavioural awareness, and openness to experience) and self-compassion explain variation in depression and anxiety and individual and relational adjustment among parents of preterm infants. MethodsA sample of 215 parents of preterm infants were recruited via a charity for children born preterm. Data was collected via online survey and analysed using multiple hierarchical regressions. ResultsPsychological flexibility and self-compassion were significant predictors of depression and anxiety in parents of preterm infants. Components of psychological flexibility were significant predictors of individual and relational adjustment while self-compassion was predictive of relational but not individual adjustment. However, the portion of variance accounted for by self-compassion after controlling for psychological flexibility was modest. Components of psychological flexibility but not self-compassion retained their predictive value for individual and relational adjustment when controlling for depression and anxiety. ConclusionsThis study provides preliminary evidence that psychological flexibility and self-compassion are helpful for understanding depression, anxiety and adjustment difficulties in parents of preterm infants and provides support for future development of acceptance-based interventions for this population.